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Heat Wave

Have an extraordinary hot summer? How many more can we expect? Find out everything there is to know about heat waves and stay updated on the latest climate news with the comprehensive articles, interactive features and pictures at LiveScience.com.

Related Topics: Climate, Weather, Global Warming

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A man wiping sweat from his face under the hot sun.

For the first time, scientists have named a heat wave

By Stephanie Pappas published 15 August 22

For the first time, authorities have given a heat wave a name. Scientists hope that naming extreme heat events will help the public protect itself.

A male construction worker wipes sweat off his forehead.

Why heat waves kill so quickly

By Stephanie Pappas last updated 17 August 22

Britain broke an all-time heat record this week, and a heat wave in the U.S. stretched from California to the South.

A British flag flies amongst the smoldering ruins of houses as fire services tackle a large blaze on July 19 in Wennington, England. A series of grass fires broke out amid an intense heatwave.

Wildfires blaze in London during record heatwave

By Ben Turner published 19 July 22

Fires such as those caused by a recent record-breaking heatwave in Europe will likely become more common as the climate warms, scientists say.

An enormous garbage fire rages in New Delhi on April 26, 2022.

17-story-tall 'mountain' of garbage spontaneously combusts during Indian heatwave

By Brandon Specktor published 29 April 22

A landfill in New Delhi, India spontaneously combusted this week during a record heatwave.

People Are Getting 2nd-Degree Burns from Sidewalks

By Yasemin Saplakoglu published 29 July 19

Hot days can rapidly bring pavements to sizzling temperatures.

Lifeguard Luke Orot at Jewel Lake on July 4, 2019, in Anchorage, Alaska, which is bracing for record-warm temperatures.

Whoa! Alaska Is Hotter Than NYC. Here's Why.

By Jeanna Bryner published 5 July 19

For the first time in recorded history, Anchorage, Alaska, reached 90 degrees F (32 degrees Celsius).

A boy quenches his thirst at a water tap during a scorching heat wave, on May 15, 2017, in New Delhi, India.

Most of the World to Face Record-High Temperatures Every Year Without Serious Climate Action

By Brandon Specktor published 17 June 19

About 60% of the world will face record-high temperatures every year for the next 100 years if we don't tackle climate change now, a new study suggests.

Photos: Cropmarks Reveal Traces of Lost Civilizations in England

By Yasemin Saplakoglu published 15 August 18

Fields laden with cropmarks serve as a map for archeological finds.

Heat Wave Reveals Cropmarks of Lost Civilizations in England

By Yasemin Saplakoglu published 15 August 18

Dry conditions have revealed unknown archaeological sites hidden beneath England's fields.

Death Valley Smashes Heat Record, 2nd Year in a Row

By Kimberly Hickok published 1 August 18

The hottest place in the U.S., Death Valley, was not left out of this year's record-breaking heat wave.

Shocking Global Map Shows the Extent of a Global Heat Wave

By Yasemin Saplakoglu published 27 July 18

Heat waves swarm across the world, and a new visualization shows just how bad things are.

Arctic Circle Burns As Record Heat Broils Northern Europe

By Kimberly Hickok published 19 July 18

Record temperatures are helping to turn northern Europe into a tinderbox.

A pile of dead bats that "boiled" in Campbelltown in the Australian state of New South Wales.

Hundreds of 'Boiled' Bats Fall from Sky in Australian Heat Wave

By Stephanie Pappas published 9 January 18

Extreme heat in Australia has deadly consequences.

Families cool off in a pond during a heat wave on June 2, 2012, in New Delhi, India.

South Asia May Become Too Hot for Humans to Survive by 2100

By Tracy Staedter published 7 August 17

How Hot Will Your City Get By 2100?

By Brian Kahn published 5 July 17

Summers around the world are already warmer than they used to be, and they’re going to get dramatically hotter by century’s end if carbon pollution continues to rise.

Map Shows How Climate Change Will Affect Health Across US

By Sara G. Miller published 15 March 17

Climate change is poised to affect the health of Americans in every part of the country, a new report says.

The powerful Hurricane Katrina, a Category-5 storm, is seen here in a satellite image from Aug. 28, 2005.

Wind, Rain, Heat: Health Risks Grow with Extreme Weather

By Sara G. Miller published 17 February 17

As climate change proceeds, there will be more extreme weather events, and these events pose a threat to people's health, experts say.

Statewide average temperature ranks for June

June Breaks US Heat Records

By Andrea Thompson published 8 July 15

The temperatures for June are in and five Western states saw their warmest June ever.

Heat Wave Deaths May Triple by the 2050s

By Bahar Gholipour published 3 February 14

Deaths due to heat waves could rise three to four times in some regions by the middle of this century, according to a new U.K. study.

Hot Cars Can Kill: 20 Children Already Dead in 2013

By Accuweather.com published 17 July 13

As a heat wave grips the I-95 corridor this week, researchers warn how hot cars can get, posing risks to children and pets.