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How is the record-breaking US heatwave linked to the climate crisis?

The sun rises behind saguaro cacti at Papago Park on June 17 in Phoenix, Arizona. The National Weather Service has issued an Excessive Heat Warning for central Arizona through Sunday (Getty Images)
The sun rises behind saguaro cacti at Papago Park on June 17 in Phoenix, Arizona. The National Weather Service has issued an Excessive Heat Warning for central Arizona through Sunday (Getty Images)

More than 50 million people in the US are sweltering in a historic heatwave that has sent daily temperature records tumbling across much of the country’s western region.

Heat warnings have been issued in California, Nevada, Arizona and Utah, while officials in Texas urged residents to cut back on power usage over fears that the grid would struggle to cope with surges in demand amid the extreme temperatures.

A growing body of evidence suggests that, across the world, heatwaves are becoming both more frequent and more intense as a result of the climate crisis. A number of high-profile scientific studies have linked human-caused warming to recent heatwaves in regions from the Arctic circle to Australia.

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The western US has warmed by around 2C since the start of the industrial era – loading the dice in favour of episodes of extreme heat, as well as severe wildfires and drought, a climate scientist tells The Independent.

Below, The Independent assesses what is known about the impact of the climate crisis on US heatwaves – and how episodes of extreme heat are likely to change in the future.

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