Beachgoers enjoy a sunny day on a beach in Marseille on July 24, as a heatwave continues across northern Europe, with wildfires breaking out in northern Scandinavia and Greece.

Beachgoers enjoy a sunny day on a beach in Marseille on July 24, as a heatwave continues across northern Europe, with wildfires breaking out in northern Scandinavia and Greece. BORIS HORVAT/AFP/Getty Images

No, it’s not just you. It actually is really hot. We’re talking triple digits around the world. This summer alone, nine all-time temperature records have been broken. That’s dangerous, especially in urban landscapes.

Per Curbed, “according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, extreme heat now causes more deaths in U.S. cities than all other weather events combined.”

And it can be even worse for the most vulnerable among us: pregnant women and the elderly.

Per Vanessa Romo at NPR:

An estimated 70 deaths have been connected to the scorching temperatures and humidity that rolled over Canada’s Quebec province last week, and officials say the number may rise as hospital and nursing home records are reviewed.

Most of the people who died as the region reached temperatures up to 95 degrees are elderly men and women living alone in apartments with no air conditioning, and many had chronic health conditions.

What’s causing this heat? And what can we do to stay safe in scorching temperatures?

Produced by Stef Collett.

Guests

  • Motoko Rich Tokyo Bureau Chief, New York Times; @motokorich
  • Chris Bruin Meteorologist, The Weather Channel; @TWCChrisBruint
  • Martin Hoerling Research meteorologist, NOAA's Earth System Research Lab
  • Dr. Georges Benjamin Executive Director, American Public Health Association
  • David Hondula Assistant Professor, School of Geographic Sciences and Urban Planning, Arizona State University; @ASUHondulat

Clarification On This Program

We got some listener feedback from Dr. Benjamin’s comments on our program. When Benjamin suggested that tea was a diuretic some listeners pointed out that tea isn’t considered a diuretic and when you drink tea, the fluid you receive makes up for what you lose from the caffeine.
He clarified his comments below. These responses have been lightly edited for clarity.
      Tea has caffeine in it which is a diuretic. So like coffee it can cause fluid loss. By the way, other caffeinated drinks can do this as well. The point is to know this and be mindful of your intake of these things.
Regarding his suggestions on drinking water, listeners also commented that drinking too much water can be dangerous, and that drinking a gallon every few hours seemed like too much water.
 I did not mean to imply it was a gallon every few hours. The average person needs about 11 – 15 cups of water a day, approx. 3-4 liters (some of this comes from the food we eat). I should have said drink at least eight; 8 ounce glasses of water a day as a minimum unless you have a medical condition that prohibits it. You need much more on a hot day. It is hard to drink too much water for the average person because you feel full and don’t want any extra.

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