Eastern Chinese cities like Shanghai (pictured here) experienced a record heat wave in the summer of 2013. Such extreme temperatures could become the new normal in the coming decades, according to a new study. (Photo credit: Wenjie Zhang, via flickr)
Eastern China experienced a record-breaking summer heatwave in 2013, but analysis shows that this extreme could soon become the new normal.
Researchers looked at temperature records in eastern China from 1950 to 2013 and found that average summer temperatures have increased by 0.82 C during that time. Summers as hot as 2013 are now 60 times as likely as they were in the past, and within two decades, are likely to make up half of all summers.
The authors conclude that adaptation is needed in order to mitigate the risks of extreme heat on human health and the Chinese economy.
Original research paper published in Nature Climate Change on October 12, 2014.
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