New study explores the prevalence of heatwaves in East Asia

Described as periods of excessively high temperatures, heatwaves have a devastating impact on human life, agriculture, and water resources. Weather and atmospheric conditions can lead to two types of heatwaves: dry heatwaves occur when the skies are clear, exposing the area to large amounts of solar radiation, while moist heatwaves occur when water vapor traps heat due to cloudy, humid conditions. Owing to the effects of global warming, these events have grown more intense and frequent in recent years. With climate simulations predicting heatwaves to be more frequent and intensify with increasing greenhouse gas emissions, it becomes important to map out vulnerable regions so that adequate plans can be made to deal with them in the future.