AUDIO: Climate change means drought, hot temperatures and wildfires for Arizona’s future

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: MoraMedina-HeatTrends-Arizona
  • Runtime: 1:41
  • Downloadable audio here. (Note: Some web browsers may not support media download

HOST INTRO: 

HOTTER TEMPERATURES, MORE INTENSE DROUGHT DURING COOL PERIODS AND MORE WILDFIRES ARE PROJECTED FOR ARIZONA’S FUTURE. THAT’S ACCORDING TO THE LATEST SUMMARY OF THE STATE’S CLIMATE FROM THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION.  CRONKITE NEWS’ ALEXANDRA MORA MEDINA HAS MORE ON WHAT THIS MEANS. 

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TEMPERATURES IN ARIZONA HAVE RISEN TWO-POINT-FIVE DEGREES SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE CENTURY. AND THAT’S SHOWN UP IN INCREASING EXTREME HEAT IN METROPOLITAN AREAS LIKE PHOENIX.

“Looking at the increase in temperature in Phoenix in the last 50 or 60 years which is much larger than the signature that we see across the state for the last 100 years”

THAT’S ERINANNE SAFFELL, ARIZONA’S STATE CLIMATOLOGIST…  SHE CONTRIBUTED TO NOAA’S STATE SUMMARY ON CLIMATE. THE STATEWIDE AVERAGE DAY TIME HIGHS  ARE ONE HUNDRED DEGREES WHILE THE NIGHT TIME AVERAGES ARE  EIGHTY DEGREES.  

THE NOAA SUMMARY SHOWS THAT IF EMISSIONS REMAIN HIGH THEN ARIZONA’S TEMPERATURES WILL CONTINUE TO RISE.  SAFFELL SAYS TEMPERATURES ARE INCREASING RAPIDLY IN URBANIZED AREAS.

“Looking at what the urban heat island does, and what it produces, the urban heat island is an increase in nighttime temperatures, it’s not necessarily an increase in the daily temperatures.”

SAFFELL SAYS THAT’S WHY IT’S IMPORTANT TO IDENTIFY URBAN COMMUNITIES THAT CAN’T COOL OFF AT NIGHT.

“There’s a greater risk of a heat health situation and so wanting to identify those vulnerable communities who aren’t able to cool effectively at night becomes important”

SHE SAYS THE URBAN HEAT ISLAND IS NOT SOMETHING TO ADAPT TO:  . 

“Most of our people in the state live in those locations and could be at a higher risk so understanding that vulnerability and means to mitigate becomes important.”

SAFFELL SAYS SHE HOPES PEOPLE WILL USE THIS LATEST CLIMATE SUMMARY AS CITIES LOOK TO DEVELOP SOLUTIONS TO CLIMATE CHANGE. 

I’M ALEXANDRA MORA MEDINA, CRONKITE NEWS.