IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/climat/v118y2013i3p811-825.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Heat waves in the United States: definitions, patterns and trends

Author

Listed:
  • Tiffany Smith
  • Benjamin Zaitchik
  • Julia Gohlke

Abstract

High temperatures and heat waves are related but not synonymous concepts. Heat waves, generally understood to be acute periods of extreme warmth, are relevant to a wide range of stakeholders because of the impacts that these events have on human health and activities and on natural environments. Perhaps because of the diversity of communities engaged in heat wave monitoring and research, there is no single, standard definition of a heat wave. Experts differ in which threshold values (absolute versus relative), duration and ancillary variables to incorporate into heat wave definitions. While there is value in this diversity of perspectives, the lack of a unified index can cause confusion when discussing patterns, trends, and impacts. Here, we use data from the North American Land Data Assimilation System to examine patterns and trends in 15 previously published heat wave indices for the period 1979–2011 across the Continental United States. Over this period the Southeast region saw the highest number of heat wave days for the majority of indices considered. Positive trends (increases in number of heat wave days per year) were greatest in the Southeast and Great Plains regions, where more than 12 % of the land area experienced significant increases in the number of heat wave days per year for the majority of heat wave indices. Significant negative trends were relatively rare, but were found in portions of the Southwest, Northwest, and Great Plains. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2013

Suggested Citation

  • Tiffany Smith & Benjamin Zaitchik & Julia Gohlke, 2013. "Heat waves in the United States: definitions, patterns and trends," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 118(3), pages 811-825, June.
  • Handle: RePEc:spr:climat:v:118:y:2013:i:3:p:811-825
    DOI: 10.1007/s10584-012-0659-2
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1007/s10584-012-0659-2
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10584-012-0659-2?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Christoph Schär & Pier Luigi Vidale & Daniel Lüthi & Christoph Frei & Christian Häberli & Mark A. Liniger & Christof Appenzeller, 2004. "The role of increasing temperature variability in European summer heatwaves," Nature, Nature, vol. 427(6972), pages 332-336, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Mengmeng Li & Shaohua Gu & Peng Bi & Jun Yang & Qiyong Liu, 2015. "Heat Waves and Morbidity: Current Knowledge and Further Direction-A Comprehensive Literature Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-28, May.
    2. Jintao Zhang & Fang Wang, 2019. "Regional Temperature Response in Central Asia to National Committed Emission Reductions," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(15), pages 1-15, July.
    3. Gulcan Cil & Trudy Ann Cameron, 2017. "Potential Climate Change Health Risks from Increases in Heat Waves: Abnormal Birth Outcomes and Adverse Maternal Health Conditions," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 37(11), pages 2066-2079, November.
    4. Chuan-Yao Lin & Yi-Yun Chien & Chiung-Jui Su & Mien-Tze Kueh & Shih-Chun Lung, 2017. "Climate variability of heat wave and projection of warming scenario in Taiwan," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 145(3), pages 305-320, December.
    5. Erin M. Schliep & Alan E. Gelfand & Jesús Abaurrea & Jesús Asín & María A. Beamonte & Ana C. Cebrián, 2021. "Long‐term spatial modelling for characteristics of extreme heat events," Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series A, Royal Statistical Society, vol. 184(3), pages 1070-1092, July.
    6. Lei Ye & Ke Shi & Zhuohang Xin & Chao Wang & Chi Zhang, 2019. "Compound Droughts and Heat Waves in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-14, June.
    7. Arkadiusz M. Tomczyk & Agnieszka Sulikowska & Ewa Bednorz & Marek Półrolniczak, 2019. "Atmospheric circulation conditions during winter warm spells in Central Europe," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 96(3), pages 1413-1428, April.
    8. Francesca Cecinati & Tom Matthews & Sukumar Natarajan & Nick McCullen & David Coley, 2019. "Mining Social Media to Identify Heat Waves," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(5), pages 1-19, March.
    9. K. Oleson & A. Monaghan & O. Wilhelmi & M. Barlage & N. Brunsell & J. Feddema & L. Hu & D. Steinhoff, 2015. "Interactions between urbanization, heat stress, and climate change," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 129(3), pages 525-541, April.
    10. M. Luke Smith & Rachel R. Hardeman, 2020. "Association of Summer Heat Waves and the Probability of Preterm Birth in Minnesota: An Exploration of the Intersection of Race and Education," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-12, September.
    11. Jagadeesh Puvvula & Azar M. Abadi & Kathryn C. Conlon & Jared J. Rennie & Hunter Jones & Jesse E. Bell, 2022. "Evaluating the Sensitivity of Heat Wave Definitions among North Carolina Physiographic Regions," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(16), pages 1-13, August.
    12. Yanxu Liu & Shuangshuang Li & Yanglin Wang & Tian Zhang & Jian Peng & Tianyi Li, 2015. "Identification of multiple climatic extremes in metropolis: a comparison of Guangzhou and Shenzhen, China," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 79(2), pages 939-953, November.
    13. Sinha, Paramita & Coville, Robert C. & Hirabayashi, Satoshi & Lim, Brian & Endreny, Theodore A. & Nowak, David J., 2021. "Modeling lives saved from extreme heat by urban tree cover✰," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 449(C).
    14. Larsson, Karl, 2023. "Parametric heat wave insurance," Journal of Commodity Markets, Elsevier, vol. 31(C).
    15. Steffen Merte, 2017. "Estimating heat wave-related mortality in Europe using singular spectrum analysis," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 142(3), pages 321-330, June.
    16. Wentan Dong & Qiang Zeng & Yue Ma & Guoxing Li & Xiaochuan Pan, 2016. "Impact of Heat Wave Definitions on the Added Effect of Heat Waves on Cardiovascular Mortality in Beijing, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-12, September.
    17. Zheng, Zhonghua & Zhao, Lei & Oleson, Keith W., 2020. "Large model parameter and structural uncertainties in global projections of urban heat waves," Earth Arxiv f5pwa, Center for Open Science.
    18. Frank A. La Sorte & Alison Johnston & Toby R. Ault, 2021. "Global trends in the frequency and duration of temperature extremes," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 166(1), pages 1-14, May.
    19. K. W. Oleson & G. B. Anderson & B. Jones & S. A. McGinnis & B. Sanderson, 2018. "Avoided climate impacts of urban and rural heat and cold waves over the U.S. using large climate model ensembles for RCP8.5 and RCP4.5," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 146(3), pages 377-392, February.
    20. Yun Jian & Connor Y. H. Wu & Julia M. Gohlke, 2017. "Effect Modification by Environmental Quality on the Association between Heatwaves and Mortality in Alabama, United States," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-11, September.
    21. Hadi Beygi Heidarlou & Melina Gholamzadeh Bazarbash & Stelian Alexandru Borz, 2024. "Unveiling the Role of Climate and Environmental Dynamics in Shaping Forest Fire Patterns in Northern Zagros, Iran," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-19, September.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Inga Dailidienė & Inesa Servaitė & Remigijus Dailidė & Erika Vasiliauskienė & Lolita Rapolienė & Ramūnas Povilanskas & Donatas Valiukas, 2023. "Increasing Trends of Heat Waves and Tropical Nights in Coastal Regions (The Case Study of Lithuania Seaside Cities)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(19), pages 1-21, September.
    2. T. Hlásny & J. Holuša & P. Štěpánek & M. Turčáni & N. Polčák, 2011. "Expected impacts of climate change on forests: Czech Republic as a case study," Journal of Forest Science, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 57(10), pages 422-431.
    3. Wu, X.D. & Ji, Xi & Li, Chaohui & Xia, X.H. & Chen, G.Q., 2019. "Water footprint of thermal power in China: Implications from the high amount of industrial water use by plant infrastructure of coal-fired generation system," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 452-461.
    4. Chen, Ping-Yu & Chen, Chi-Chung & Chang, Chia-Lin, 2011. "Multiple Threshold Effects for Temperature and Mortality," MPRA Paper 35521, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. Fischer, Björn & Goldberg, Valeri & Bernhofer, Christian, 2008. "Effect of a coupled soil water–plant gas exchange on forest energy fluxes: Simulations with the coupled vegetation–boundary layer model HIRVAC," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 214(2), pages 75-82.
    6. Michael Donadelli & Marcus Jüppner & Antonio Paradiso & Christian Schlag, 2021. "Computing Macro-Effects and Welfare Costs of Temperature Volatility: A Structural Approach," Computational Economics, Springer;Society for Computational Economics, vol. 58(2), pages 347-394, August.
    7. Fuhrer, Jurg & Beniston, Martin & Calanca, Pierluigi & Torriani, Daniele Simone, 2007. "Alternative Hedging Strategies in Maize Production to Cope with Climate Variability and Change," 101st Seminar, July 5-6, 2007, Berlin Germany 9275, European Association of Agricultural Economists.
    8. Gabriele Lobaccaro & Juan Angel Acero & Gerardo Sanchez Martinez & Ales Padro & Txomin Laburu & German Fernandez, 2019. "Effects of Orientations, Aspect Ratios, Pavement Materials and Vegetation Elements on Thermal Stress inside Typical Urban Canyons," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(19), pages 1-29, September.
    9. Stacey E. Alexeeff & Doug Nychka & Stephan R. Sain & Claudia Tebaldi, 2018. "Emulating mean patterns and variability of temperature across and within scenarios in anthropogenic climate change experiments," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 146(3), pages 319-333, February.
    10. Berlemann, Michael & Eurich, Marina, 2021. "Natural hazard risk and life satisfaction – Empirical evidence for hurricanes," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 190(C).
    11. G. Serquet & M. Rebetez, 2011. "Relationship between tourism demand in the Swiss Alps and hot summer air temperatures associated with climate change," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 108(1), pages 291-300, September.
    12. Shoupeng Zhu & Fei Ge & Yi Fan & Ling Zhang & Frank Sielmann & Klaus Fraedrich & Xiefei Zhi, 2020. "Conspicuous temperature extremes over Southeast Asia: seasonal variations under 1.5 °C and 2 °C global warming," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 160(3), pages 343-360, June.
    13. Chen, Zongkui & Xia, Jun & Ma, Hui & Wang, Yuanyuan & Gao, Hongyun & Kong, Xianhui & Luo, Honghai, 2018. "Presowing fertigation effects on soil moisture absorption and consumption of cotton in arid regions," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 210(C), pages 130-139.
    14. Krista Rizzo & Mark Camilleri & Damien Gatt & Charles Yousif, 2024. "Optimising Mechanical Ventilation for Indoor Air Quality and Thermal Comfort in a Mediterranean School Building," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(2), pages 1-26, January.
    15. Arthur Charpentier, 2011. "On the return period of the 2003 heat wave," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 109(3), pages 245-260, December.
    16. Wu, Wenjie & Zhe, Yang & Kim, Jun Hyung & Yue, Ai, 2023. "Effects of Early Childhood Climate on Cognitive Development and Home Environment," IZA Discussion Papers 16017, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    17. Zoleka Ncoyini-Manciya & Michael J. Savage, 2022. "The Assessment of Future Air Temperature and Rainfall Changes Based on the Statistical Downscaling Model (SDSM): The Case of the Wartburg Community in KZN Midlands, South Africa," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-19, August.
    18. Nandan, Rohit & Woo, Dong K. & Kumar, Praveen & Adinarayana, J., 2021. "Impact of irrigation scheduling methods on corn yield under climate change," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 255(C).
    19. Pearce, Joshua M. & Johnson, Sara J. & Grant, Gabriel B., 2007. "3D-mapping optimization of embodied energy of transportation," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 51(2), pages 435-453.
    20. Tjaša Pogačar & Zala Žnidaršič & Lučka Kajfež Bogataj & Zalika Črepinšek, 2020. "Steps Towards Comprehensive Heat Communication in the Frame of a Heat Health Warning System in Slovenia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(16), pages 1-16, August.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:climat:v:118:y:2013:i:3:p:811-825. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.