The Combined Impact of Heat-Humidity Extremes on Mortality Risks in Major Cities in the Sun Belt of the United States
Abstract
Since thermoregulation of the human body relies on a physiological evapotranspiration mechanism, the presence of intense humidity could block this important pathway, potentially amplifying the effect of heat. While heat has been widely recognized as possessing greater impact on mortality, far less research has sought to address the joint effects of heat and humidity on mortality risks. This study investigates the heat-humidity impact on mortality risks in selected metropolitan cities in the Sun Belt, representing climatologically the hottest regions of the United States. Study sites in the Sun Belt have been selected based on the availability of both meteorological and mortality data. For each location, the historical temperature and relative humidity data are sourced from HadISD quality assured station observations, respectively; the corresponding mortality data are culled from the CDC's National Vital Statistics System. A novel probabilistic approach is used to analyze the relationships between changes in extreme temperature and humidity magnitude, frequency, and occurrence, and changes in mortality risks. The results will present the historical changes of heat-humidity extreme events, the probabilistic relationships between changes of heat-humidity extreme events and the changes of heat-related mortality risks, and the vulnerability of different cities and social groups to changes heat-humidity extremes in the Sun Belt of the United States. In summary, this study will address who is at risk and where is at risk due to the changes of heat-humidity extremes, and will discuss potential strategies to build resilience to the variability and changes of heat-humidity conditions.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2020
- Bibcode:
- 2020AGUFMGH003..06H
- Keywords:
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- 0230 Impacts of climate change: human health;
- GEOHEALTH;
- 0240 Public health;
- GEOHEALTH