US could witness ‘extreme heat’ by 2053: Report

Warning of an impending heat risk, a new study has claimed that an "extreme heat belt" is forming in the north of Chicago that could affect more than 100 million people in the next 30 years

The research, which was released on Monday by nonprofit First Street Foundation, said that this "heat belt" could encompass the America's heartland stretching from Texas and Louisiana north to the Great Lakes, reports AFP.

They said this could shoot up the heat index up to 125 Fahrenheit (52C) at least one day per year by 2053, affecting 107 million people in 2053.

The heat index is commonly referred to as the “feels like” temperature. It represents what the outside temperature feels like to the human body when relative humidity and air temperature are combined.

"These increases in local temperatures result in significant implications for communities that are not acclimated to warmer weather relative to their normal climate," the report said.

The biggest shift in the local temperature has been predicted to occur in Miami-Dade County, Florida, where the current hottest temperature touches 103 Fahrenheit seven days per year. The number is expected to increase to 34 days at 103 degrees by 2053, according to the study.

The report further warned that the increase in the use of air conditioning as a result of such temperature spikes will further strain energy grids, leading to more frequent and longer lasting brownouts.

The findings came days after the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration’s monthly climate reporton August 8 found that last month was the country’s third-hottest July since record-keeping began nearly 130 years ago.

(With inputs from agencies)

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