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Sevilla becomes first city to 'name' and 'classify' heatwaves on a 'natural disaster' level
25/10/2021
ONE of Spain's hottest cities has become the first on earth to put 'names' to heatwaves – in the same way as storms and hurricanes – and to 'classify' them in a similar manner.
Typically, a 'heatwave' in Spain will come in July or early August, is more likely to affect the central parts of the country, and although intense and backed by weather warnings, do not normally see a rise in temperature of more than about 5ºC above the 'norm' for the time of year.
But this depends upon where it strikes: If a part of the country that sits around 25ºC in high summer soars to 37ºC and the southern or Mediterranean coasts to about the same, then the latter would not be considered as 'suffering from a heatwave' given that the usual figures for the season would be around 31ºC to 34ºC in any case.
They usually last a maximum of three or four days and, in traditionally warm parts of the country, are mainly only noticeable at night – the daytime may already be scorching and a few extra degrees make little difference, but when lows soar from around 20ºC, the cut-off figure for what is known as a 'tropical night', to almost 30ºC, this is when air-conditioning units go into overdrive and electricity use soars.
As a country with hot summers, Spain knows how to deal with heatwaves: Stay indoors when the UV rays are strongest, or outside under a parasol; make use of any large body of water – sea, swimming pool, 'river beach' – to keep cool; wear a hat or carry an umbrella; eat little but keep sugar and salt levels up when you sweat; sunscreen at all times; and never, ever leave the house without a bottle of water.
Andalucía's land-locked provinces – Sevilla, Córdoba and Jaén – are where temperatures are typically the highest in summer; it is not unusual for a 'normal' July day to see thermometers in the shade breaking the 40ºC barrier and, in fact, Córdoba even planned to name a street after the man who invented air-conditioning as a tribute to 'a person who has potentially saved lives' in the area.
But heatwaves elsewhere in the world can be much more severe and life-threatening – conversely, so can a heatwave in a typically colder country, since the infrastructure and human habits are not in place and the inhabitants are not acclimatised.
Taking heatwaves seriously: International climate conference in Sevilla
Climate change is expected to bring more heatwaves, longer and more intense ones – as well as more and much more damaging freak weather episodes and much colder, more deadly freezing spells – so scientists are now focusing as much on extreme mercury highs and their impact on society as they have always done on tornadoes, hurricanes and tropical storms, among other potentially terrifying natural disasters.
Led by the Atlantic Council's Adrienn Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Centre, a major conference took place recently in Sevilla as top researchers sought to implement measures to protect the population from heatwaves.
Like the other catastrophic weather phenomena, the team's strategy will include classifying heatwaves in line with their potential impact on human health and safety.
This is part of a new system, due to come into effect next year, which will act as a global response mechanism for natural disasters and which will include heatwaves in that definition.
In the same way as the system would prepare authorities and societies who are set to be hit by a hurricane, it will now seek to prepare them for how to survive a heatwave.
This way, public information and warnings can be launched and the right structures set up.
Heatwaves can be more dangerous in cold countries than hot ones
Although crucial in third-world nations, and in those where the thermometer can rise to immediately life-threatening levels, the strategy is particularly important in the case of countries where summers are more likely to be spent carrying a 'spare' jacket in one's bag rather than a water bottle.
It is these countries where, for example, restaurant and bar outside seating may not have any umbrellas or other shade, workplaces and public buildings – and even older cars - not be fitted with air-conditioning, where much of the population does not even own a plug-in fan, where they are not conscious of the need to stay out of direct sunlight, protect their heads and stay hydrated, where they open doors and windows in the daytime or even car sunroofs 'to cool down', and where society may never have been taught what not to do to prevent forest fires.
Simple actions, like not leaving a spare pair of glasses on a car seat, keeping glass bottles away from dry grass or plants, and disposing of cigarette ends correctly may not occur to those from a normally cool, damp climate.
They may not even be aware of the dangers of pets, small children and the elderly being left inside a stationary car on a hot day, even for a matter of minutes.
'Silent killer': Heatwaves claim more victims than 'any other climate threat'
Senior deputy chairwoman and manager of the Arsht-Rockefeller Centre, Baugham McLeod, recalled at the conference that 'heatwaves are known as the silent killer'.
“And for good reason: They cause invisible damage to our economic systems, affect the most vulnerable members of society and kill more people than any other climate threat; yet the dangers they present are underestimated and severely misunderstood,” she said.
Other key figures at the seminar included former mayor of the Ecuadorian city of Quito, Mauricio Rodas, a member of the Atlantic Council and leader of the City Champions for Heat Action scheme, part of the ArshtRock Extreme Heat Resilience Alliance – and, of course, Sevilla's mayor, Juan Espadas, of the PSOE (socialists).
“Sevilla has a firm commitment in the fight against climate change and in mitigating its adverse effects, such as heatwaves,” Espadas announced.
“For this reason, it's crucial that we evaluate these weather phenomena by analysing scientific data and evidence.”
Also on the global scheme are Spain's State meteorological agency, AEMET, the Spanish Office for Climate Change, Sevilla University and the city's Pablo Olavide University, the Carlos III Health Institute in Madrid, and the so-called 'Day-After Alliance'.
Described as 'revolutionary', the new heatwave classification, 'naming' and warning system is scheduled to go live worldwide in time for the 2022 northern hemisphere summer.
Related Topics
You may also be interested in ...
ONE of Spain's hottest cities has become the first on earth to put 'names' to heatwaves – in the same way as storms and hurricanes – and to 'classify' them in a similar manner.
Typically, a 'heatwave' in Spain will come in July or early August, is more likely to affect the central parts of the country, and although intense and backed by weather warnings, do not normally see a rise in temperature of more than about 5ºC above the 'norm' for the time of year.
But this depends upon where it strikes: If a part of the country that sits around 25ºC in high summer soars to 37ºC and the southern or Mediterranean coasts to about the same, then the latter would not be considered as 'suffering from a heatwave' given that the usual figures for the season would be around 31ºC to 34ºC in any case.
They usually last a maximum of three or four days and, in traditionally warm parts of the country, are mainly only noticeable at night – the daytime may already be scorching and a few extra degrees make little difference, but when lows soar from around 20ºC, the cut-off figure for what is known as a 'tropical night', to almost 30ºC, this is when air-conditioning units go into overdrive and electricity use soars.
As a country with hot summers, Spain knows how to deal with heatwaves: Stay indoors when the UV rays are strongest, or outside under a parasol; make use of any large body of water – sea, swimming pool, 'river beach' – to keep cool; wear a hat or carry an umbrella; eat little but keep sugar and salt levels up when you sweat; sunscreen at all times; and never, ever leave the house without a bottle of water.
Andalucía's land-locked provinces – Sevilla, Córdoba and Jaén – are where temperatures are typically the highest in summer; it is not unusual for a 'normal' July day to see thermometers in the shade breaking the 40ºC barrier and, in fact, Córdoba even planned to name a street after the man who invented air-conditioning as a tribute to 'a person who has potentially saved lives' in the area.
But heatwaves elsewhere in the world can be much more severe and life-threatening – conversely, so can a heatwave in a typically colder country, since the infrastructure and human habits are not in place and the inhabitants are not acclimatised.
Taking heatwaves seriously: International climate conference in Sevilla
Climate change is expected to bring more heatwaves, longer and more intense ones – as well as more and much more damaging freak weather episodes and much colder, more deadly freezing spells – so scientists are now focusing as much on extreme mercury highs and their impact on society as they have always done on tornadoes, hurricanes and tropical storms, among other potentially terrifying natural disasters.
Led by the Atlantic Council's Adrienn Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Centre, a major conference took place recently in Sevilla as top researchers sought to implement measures to protect the population from heatwaves.
Like the other catastrophic weather phenomena, the team's strategy will include classifying heatwaves in line with their potential impact on human health and safety.
This is part of a new system, due to come into effect next year, which will act as a global response mechanism for natural disasters and which will include heatwaves in that definition.
In the same way as the system would prepare authorities and societies who are set to be hit by a hurricane, it will now seek to prepare them for how to survive a heatwave.
This way, public information and warnings can be launched and the right structures set up.
Heatwaves can be more dangerous in cold countries than hot ones
Although crucial in third-world nations, and in those where the thermometer can rise to immediately life-threatening levels, the strategy is particularly important in the case of countries where summers are more likely to be spent carrying a 'spare' jacket in one's bag rather than a water bottle.
It is these countries where, for example, restaurant and bar outside seating may not have any umbrellas or other shade, workplaces and public buildings – and even older cars - not be fitted with air-conditioning, where much of the population does not even own a plug-in fan, where they are not conscious of the need to stay out of direct sunlight, protect their heads and stay hydrated, where they open doors and windows in the daytime or even car sunroofs 'to cool down', and where society may never have been taught what not to do to prevent forest fires.
Simple actions, like not leaving a spare pair of glasses on a car seat, keeping glass bottles away from dry grass or plants, and disposing of cigarette ends correctly may not occur to those from a normally cool, damp climate.
They may not even be aware of the dangers of pets, small children and the elderly being left inside a stationary car on a hot day, even for a matter of minutes.
'Silent killer': Heatwaves claim more victims than 'any other climate threat'
Senior deputy chairwoman and manager of the Arsht-Rockefeller Centre, Baugham McLeod, recalled at the conference that 'heatwaves are known as the silent killer'.
“And for good reason: They cause invisible damage to our economic systems, affect the most vulnerable members of society and kill more people than any other climate threat; yet the dangers they present are underestimated and severely misunderstood,” she said.
Other key figures at the seminar included former mayor of the Ecuadorian city of Quito, Mauricio Rodas, a member of the Atlantic Council and leader of the City Champions for Heat Action scheme, part of the ArshtRock Extreme Heat Resilience Alliance – and, of course, Sevilla's mayor, Juan Espadas, of the PSOE (socialists).
“Sevilla has a firm commitment in the fight against climate change and in mitigating its adverse effects, such as heatwaves,” Espadas announced.
“For this reason, it's crucial that we evaluate these weather phenomena by analysing scientific data and evidence.”
Also on the global scheme are Spain's State meteorological agency, AEMET, the Spanish Office for Climate Change, Sevilla University and the city's Pablo Olavide University, the Carlos III Health Institute in Madrid, and the so-called 'Day-After Alliance'.
Described as 'revolutionary', the new heatwave classification, 'naming' and warning system is scheduled to go live worldwide in time for the 2022 northern hemisphere summer.
Related Topics
You may also be interested in ...
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