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If this trend continues, heatwaves could become significantly more persistent over the next 70 years or so, especially in regions like the southern U.S. Given that future heatwaves are also expected to be hotter, the study points to a possible double atmospheric whammy that could strain societies' ability to cope: hotter weather that sticks around longer.
Although sustained heat waves are the reverse of what the southern U.S. is facing this week, the processes involved could be comparable, and the threats to the power grid and human well-being could be just as severe.
More than twice as rapidly as the rest of the planet, the Arctic is warming, partially due to feedback loops created by melting ice and snow, revealing darker oceans and land surfaces that consume more solar energy and increase even more melting.