Puerto Rico endured temperatures as warm as 125 degrees Fahrenheit this week, according to the National Weather Service, as the US territory experiences excessive heat conditions which will continue for another week.
The tropical island already experienced record minimum and maximum temperatures for this time of year Monday i Tuesday, when it jumped to 95 degrees. But the heat indexwhich measures how the temperature feels in the human body, over 120 degrees Fahrenheit on Tuesday in parts of Puerto Rico, even reaching 125 in the northern towns.
High temperatures in Puerto Rico and surrounding islands on Wednesday were even warmer, pushing the heat index up to 125 degrees. NOAA
The combination of a low pressure system near Florida and a high pressure system just east of Puerto Rico has essentially formed a “heat dome” that has been stuck in place for several days, John Morales, ClimaData Certified Consulting Meteorologist. and a hurricane specialist for NBC Miamihe told NBC News.
A combination of dry air, unusually warm ocean waters and high humidity it makes people feel the heat more intensely.
The National Weather Service usually issues a heat advisory when the heat index reaches or exceeds 105 degrees Fahrenheit, “so when it’s 125, that’s incredibly dangerous,” Morales said.
The combination of high humidity and high temperatures can be dangerous because when the air humidity is high, less sweat can evaporate from the human body to cool it.
Harsh weather conditions make residents of Puerto Rico more vulnerable heat exhaustion and, in extreme cases, heatstroke.
“We are ‘sailing in unknown waters’ and cannot let our guard down in the face of excessive heat,” tweeted Ada Monzón, chief meteorologist for Wapa Television in Puerto Rico, along with instructions on what to do during a heat wave. “Take care of your health, that of your loved ones and your pets.”
A heat warning is still in effect across much of the north and west of the island, as the National Weather Service estimates the heat index will reach 111 degrees Fahrenheit on Wednesday.
Power outages compound the danger
As residents look for alternatives to cool off amid extreme heat, demand for electricity in Puerto Rico has increased, testing the limits of a patched-up power grid that has not been permanently rebuilt after Hurricane Maria and Fiona.
More than 40,000 electricity customers lost power in extreme heat on Monday after a power plant was knocked out while recording a demand of 3,072 megawatts, the highest so far this year, the national newspaper Puerto Rican The New Day reported.
The same power plant failed the next day due to boiler problems, a repair that will “take time” to fix, according to the Puerto Rico Power Authority, which is in charge of power generation.
“Being without electricity during extreme heat events is a serious risk, and can even lead to death.” tweeted Monzón along with a scientific paper on how blackouts during heat waves amplify the risks of mortality and morbidity.
Luma Energy, which is in charge of power distribution on the island, said it has been “keeping a close eye on the likelihood of further temporary disruptions” due to power generation problems.
“To minimize the likelihood of such disruptions, reduce your energy consumption if possible,” Luma Energy said on Twitter on Tuesday.
The climate change connection
Morales said the unprecedented heat in Puerto Rico has a connection to climate change.
“There is emerging science that indicates there is a climate change connection here: The heat wave in Puerto Rico right now is at least five times more likely to happen because of human-caused global warming “, Morales said after reviewing the data from the Climate change index.
“It’s not just the weather, and it’s not just the weather. It’s a combination of the two that’s leading to what is, frankly, a dangerous situation,” he said.
Morales said the temperature difference between the Arctic and mid-latitudes tends to drive the strength of a jet stream, which generally controls how weather systems move.
“But the Arctic is warming so fast compared to the rest of the northern hemisphere,” Morales said. “So less temperature difference means the jet stream is weaker,” which causes weather systems to move slowly or stay in one place for a longer period of time.
Morales added that Puerto Rico probably “won’t see the heat wave break” unless something changes in the jet stream.
The National Weather Service said the extreme heat conditions may persist throughout the weekend and until Tuesday.
