Summer temperatures are set to hit 40C more often if efforts to tackle greenhouse gases are not stepped up, warn scientists.
Global warming caused by man-made greenhouse gases will mean extreme heatwaves could become 30% more frequent by 2050, researchers said.
A team looked at what caused an “unprecedented” heatwave that swept the western US and Canada last June, killing 1,500 people and causing huge wildfires.
They examined three atmospheric circulation patterns as well as “anthropogenic” greenhouse gases.
These patterns describe how air flows and influences surface temperatures around the planet and are responsible for daily and long-term weather.
Using computer simulations, the research team found greenhouse gases affected these patterns in June 2021.
Greenhouse gases will likely be the main contributing factor to increased temperatures in future, the scientists warned in the Advances in Atmospheric Sciences journal.
Dr Chunzai Wang, of the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, said: “We found it is likely global warming associated with greenhouse gases influences these three atmospheric circulation pattern variabilities, which, in turn, led to a more extreme heatwave event.”
He added: “If appropriate measures are not taken, the occurrence probability of extreme heatwaves will increase and further impact the ecological balance, as well as sustainable social and economic development.”
Temperatures hit a record peak of 40.3C in Coningsby, Lincs, on Tuesday afternoon.
