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Title: Nonlinear increases in extreme temperatures paradoxically dampen increases in extreme humid-heat
Abstract

Nonlinear increases in warm season temperatures are projected for many regions, a phenomenon we show to be associated with relative surface drying. However, negative human health impacts are physiologically linked to combinations of high temperatures and high humidity. Since the amplified warming and drying are concurrent, the net effect on humid-heat, as measured by the wet bulb temperature (TW), is uncertain. We demonstrate that globally, on the hottest days of the year, the positive effect of amplified warming onTWis counterbalanced by a larger negative effect resulting from drying. As a result, the largest increases inTWandTxdo not occur on the same days. Compared to a world with linear temperature change, the drying associated with nonlinear warming dampens mid-latitudeTWincreases by up to 0.5 °C, and also dampens the rise in frequency of dangerous humid-heat (TW > 27 °C) by up to 5 d per year in parts of North America and Europe. Our results highlight the opposing interactions among temperature and humidity changes and their effects onTW, and point to the importance of constraining uncertainty in hydrological and warm season humidity changes to best position the management of future humid-heat risks.

 
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NSF-PAR ID:
10307846
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ; ;
Publisher / Repository:
IOP Publishing
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Environmental Research Letters
Volume:
14
Issue:
8
ISSN:
1748-9326
Page Range / eLocation ID:
Article No. 084003
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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