Climate

Extreme heat no longer confined to summer, extending health risks, study finds

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Briefings

A recent study analyzing four decades of global weather records reveals that seasonal norms have shifted, with extreme heat now extending into spring and fall. Lead author Casey Ivanovich from NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies noted that both extreme dry and humid heat have expanded in seasons across about half the globe over the last 45 years. The research utilized data from NASA and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts to isolate the hottest 5% of days globally.

Key points

• Extreme heat days have expanded in both spring and fall globally over the last 45 years, affecting approximately half of the globe.
• Researchers identified the hottest 5% of days using data from NASA and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts.

Context

This study marks a significant shift from the traditional seasonal cycle where winter thawed into spring and summer heat beat down until autumn relief. The findings indicate that extreme heat is no longer confined to summer, posing new health risks as seasons become more unpredictable.

Limitations

The study covers data from 1980 to 2025, with specific regional variations noted. Phoenix, Arizona, is highlighted as experiencing an earlier wet heat season and later dry heat season, which cannot be explained by the current research. Some specific regional shifts remain unexplained by the study.

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