What Was The 2021 Western North American Heat Wave?
The 2021 Western North American heatwave was a period in June and July 2021 that exposed parts of western North America to extreme heat, causing major problems for the people living in those areas. Both Canada and America were hit, both primarily along the west coast, with the heat wave travelling to the East as it continued. It is noted for creating the hottest temperature on record in Canada, while also setting over 100 heat records in Canada at the time, as well as setting several heat records in the United States.
When Was The 2021 Western North American Heat Wave?
The 2021 Western North American Heat Wave began on June 25, 2021, and ended on July 7 of the same year.
Where Was The 2021 Western North American Heat Wave?
The area of Canada most impacted by the 2021 Western North American Heat Wave was British Columbia. However, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Yukon, and the Northwest Territories were also impacted. American states impacted include California, Nevada, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and Montana.
How Hot Was The 2021 Western North American Heat Wave?
The 2021 Western North American Heat Wave was extremely hot, much hotter than the norm, even for the summer. BC, a place that generally has more modest temperatures in the summer compared to places of the same latitude, saw record highs set in many cities. This includes the hottest temperature in Canada’s history (at the time of this article) of 49.6 °C (121 °F) in Lytton, BC, making it hot enough to cook an egg on the sidewalk. It should be noted that this heatwave was also responsible for the highest temperature in the history of the Northwest Territories, of 39.9 °C (103.8 °F) in Fort Smith, a city that rarely has temperatures over 25 °C (77 F).
Squamish, Abbotsford, Port Alberni, Victoria, Beaverlodge, Fort McMurray, Jasper, Grand Prairie, and Saskatoon are other cities that also saw temperatures of above 40 °C (104 °F).
What Caused The 2021 Western North American Heat Wave?
There are many possible causes of the 2021 Western North American Heat Wave. Warm air that was formed in torrential rain in China entered a jet stream, went over the cooler Pacific Ocean, and encountered a high-pressure zone, becoming a heat dome. This caused hot air to be trapped, while also leading to clear skies, allowing the sun to further warm the impacted area directly. This caused the already hot area to be warmed further, and didn’t allow for cooling measures such as rain to occur, preventing any kind of reset. When it hit the West Coast, it caused record temperatures. As the system slowly made its way eastward, it continued to set local records in many other cities until it was finally cooled by moving over Hudson’s Bay.
It is also widely accepted that climate change caused the weather system to start warmer and contributed to the acceleration of warming.
How Many People Were Killed In The 2021 Western North American Heat Wave?
It is estimated that a total of 1400 people were killed in the 2021 Western North American Heat Wave, with 800 of those deaths being in Canada, and the other 600 being in the USA. A disproportionate number of these deaths were either homeless or living in some type of assisted living or group home.
What Were The Other Effects Of The 2021 Western North American Heat Wave?
Besides setting several weather records and being responsible for an estimated 1400 deaths, there were many other impacts that the 2021 Western North American Heat Wave had on Canada and America.
British Columbia, which was the most impacted area, had a substantial rise in ambulance calls due to the heat, causing delays for responses to non-emergency calls. There was also a drastic increase in demand for air conditioning in many areas of the coast, as well as in Alberta. This includes areas such as Oregon and Washington State, where air conditioning is less common than in other areas, due to the cooler nature of these areas caused by their proximity to the Pacific Ocean.
Is also had a surprising impact on transportation, with sidewalks being damaged, and transportation moving at slower speeds to reduce damage done by deformed roads. Many sporting events were delayed, and golf courses were closed for safety reasons. Droughts were recorded in both countries, with Saskatchewan being the most impacted province in Canada.
