This week on “The Climate Divide,” we explore new ways to warn about the dangers of extreme heat
By hola | Published | No Comments
Anyone who has lived through a Washington summer knows just how “sticky” the District’s sultry warmer months can get. Today our acclaimed podcast, “The Climate Divide,” is back. In the first episode, we’ll share research about a new weather variable called “stickiness” that a group of climate scientists are honing in on as our climate changes.
“If we had a heat index of 97 degrees Fahrenheit, stickiness is going to be able to tell us how much of that measurement is coming from temperature and how much is coming from humidity,” explains climate scientist Casey Ivanovich.
This episode also includes an interview with Jessica Lee, a public program coordinator at the National Weather Service (NWS), about NWS’s new HeatRisk tool and how weather alert systems are evolving to help people understand when the summertime heat can be life threatening.
With over a month left of summer weather, D.C. has already surpassed its yearly average of 90-degree days, logging its 41st 90-degree day yesterday, according to the Capital Weather Gang. These scorching days impact us all, but older and younger people, outdoor workers and those without access to air conditioning are especially vulnerable. Listen to today’s podcast to learn more about keeping yourself healthy as the summer heat continues.
About “The Climate Divide”
In this fourth season of “The Climate Divide,” we’ll explore what crucial decisions need to be made today by our government to better prepare the District for extreme heat and floods, the DMV’s two biggest climate threats. Despite the city’s ambitious climate goals, there’s no guarantee that D.C. will hit its targets to eliminate fossil fuels from buildings and vehicles and expand the city’s shade-giving tree canopy.
“The Climate Divide” is hosted, produced and edited by Marcelo Jauregui-Volpe. Claudia Peralta Torres is the podcast’s sound engineer. Jaiden Hubbard, Jewel Sanchez and Sbeyde Herrera from the Society and Culture team in Hola Cultura’s Storytelling Program for Experiential Learning, also contribute to this podcast. “The Climate Divide” is supported this season by Spotlight DC and the Fund for Investigative Journalism.
– Story by Marcelo Jauregui-Volpe
– Copy edited by Michelle Benitez
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