Extreme Jet Stream and Texas Heat Wave July 2018
A heat wave across Texas tested the state’s electrical grid and endangered residents in mid-July. The record-breaking heat in Texas was one of many global extreme events, from deadly wildfires in Greece to heat waves in Japan[1], tied to the unusual and persistent jet stream in place during the month.
Climate change has played two different roles in the string of record-breaking weather observed across the globe: (1) the overall warming due to human greenhouse gas emissions amplifies heatwaves, pushing temperatures to new extremes, and (2) climate change is increasing the frequency of unusual jet stream configurations.