Study key findings & significance

• A new spatial metric tracks daily heat wave evolution finding a significant upward trend in heat wave severity and coverage 1981–2018 
• The observed upward trend is not captured by examining individual heat wave characteristics such as frequency, magnitude, or duration 
• Findings suggest a substantial increase in the heat wave burden across the United States during the last four decades

Study key findings & significance

• "[I]n nearly all cases, those neighborhoods located in formerly redlined areas — that remain predominantly lower income and communities of color — are at present hotter than their non-redlined counterparts.”
• “‘D’-rated areas are now on average 2.6° C warmer than ‘A’-rated areas. Areas assigned a ‘hazardous’ HOLC [Home Owners' Loan Corporation] security rating in U.S.

Study key findings & significance

• climate change greatly increased Harvey’s flooding but also that the climate-boosted flooding hit low-income Hispanic communities the hardest.
• The finding shows that researchers can now do more than quantify how climate change led to additional homes being flooded. They can also assess how weather extremes, propelled by climate change, harm some groups more than others.

Author quotes

“The first big finding is that climate change can serve as the tipping point between flooding and not flooding.

Study key findings & significance

• The extreme rainfall brought by Hurricane Harvey increased the flooded area in the Greater Houston area by 14%

Author quotes

“Our best estimate is that climate change increased the cost of Hurricane Harvey by about 14% or US$13Bn”. Sampson & Wehner

Study key findings & significance

• The Fifth National Climate Assessment (NCA) is a report developed by the U.S.