Why is it So Hot This July?

Hi readers! You might have heard people say that this July is one of the hottest ever. That’s not just where you live—it’s happening all over the world. But why?

Let’s break it down in a way that makes sense.

These are the two main reasons for this heat in July:

1. The Earth is Already Warmer

Over the past 100+ years, humans have burned lots of coal, oil, other fossil fuels. This puts gases like carbon dioxide into the air, trapping heat—like a giant invisible blanket around the planet. This is called climate change, and it’s making every year warmer than the ones before.

 2. El Niño is Adding Extra Heat                                                    

This year, there’s something else happening too: it’s called El Niño 

It’s when the Pacific Ocean gets warmer than usual. That warm ocean heats the air above it, and warm air spreads around the world. El Niño doesn’t happen every year, but when it does, it can make the whole planet hotter than usual—on top of the heat from climate change.

How is Heat in July Affecting the Rest of the World? 

1. Scientific studies show that human activities, like burning fossil fuels, are increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme heat events. 
2. Extreme heat can disrupt natural ecosystems, impacting plant life, animal habitats, and water bodies. 
3. Hot, dry conditions amplify the risk of wildfires, especially when combined with other factors like lightning strikes. 
4. Hot weather increases the use of air conditioners, putting stress on power grids. This can cause blackouts and disrupt important services.

How can we help reduce heat waves?  

Reducing heat waves begins with the small actions that also help reduce global warming. Global warming increases global temperature, leading to more frequent and longer heat waves. 

Here are a few ways we can reduce heat waves/global warming:

1. Be smart with your everyday life! - switch to more sustainable light sources, such as LED lights. Try to switch off all electrical appliances when leaving a room/when not in use. 
2. Transportation - Bike to short distances, or use public transports, like subways, buses, etc. You can even carpool with friends! 
3. Plant more trees! - there are many scientific theories today that say trees can cool the air due to multiple complicated processes, such as shading and transpiration (the water vapor trees produce onto their leaves, which cools the air.)