Increase in heat in spring in South America is 100 times more likely due to climate crisis

He increased heat during spring in South America is 100 times more likely due to the climate crisis generated by man, according to a study by the World Weather Attribution released this Tuesday by the NGO Periodistas por el Planeta.

Report explains why regions were affected by the heat

The analysis found that, although the natural phenomenon El Niño may have had some influence on the high temperaturesthe climate crisis was the main driver of the heat in this region, which made it “much more likely” with an increase in temperatures of around 1.4°C to 4.3°C.

In that sense, the document details that between August and September, despite being the first days of spring, “large regions” of South America were affected by heatunusually extreme” as in the cases of Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguaywith temperatures of more than 40 °C.

Following these increases, four heat-related deaths were reported in São Paulo, Brazilalthough the total number of deaths is currently unknown.

For its part, Uruguay In recent months, the country has gone through the worst drought in the history of that country, which led the Government to decree a “Water Emergency” for the most affected departments such as Montevideo and Canelones, both with the largest populations in the country.

However, the arrival of the rains, along with infrastructure works, made it possible to alleviate the situation until today, when the end of the emergency.

Reasons for high temperatures in South America

In this context, the research adds that the prolonged heat occurred after many countries in South America will experience their warmest winter on record.

“To quantify the effect of climate change in the high temperatures held in South Americascientists analyzed weather data and model simulations to compare the climate, as it is today, after about 1.2°C of global warming since the end of the 19th century, with the climate of the past, following peer-reviewed methods”, adds the study.

Additionally, scientists discovered that these extreme heat episodes in South Americaoutside of the summer months, would have been “extremely unlikely” without the climate crisis caused by man.

“In the current climate, the warm temperatures very unusual early spring can be expected about once every 30 years in the region”the document continues.

Finally, the research concludes that if global warming reaches 2 °C, similar heat waves will be “even more likely” occur once every 5 or 6 years and an additional 1.1°C to 1.6°C will be warmer compared to the current climate.

With information from EFE