A heat wave is named (Zoe) – in Spain
- This summer, Seville, a city in southwestern Spain, has experienced temperatures higher than 106 degrees Fahrenheit for about two weeks.
- During this period, scientists identified the heat wave and named it Zoe.
- Zoe was the first heatwave to be named like a hurricane.
After temperatures hit a high of 112 degrees Fahrenheit in Spain, scientists have named a heatwave for the first time — all with the aim of protecting public health.
José María Martín Olalla, an associate professor in the department of condensed matter physics at the University of Sevilla, said the heat wave, dubbed Zoe, was recorded from July 24-27 in the southwestern city of Seville. Spain.
The naming of the Zoe heat wave was born because proMETEO Seville project, a pilot program officially launched in June to rank heat waves and teach the public about them. Collaborating on this initiative is the Adrienne Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation Recovery Center of the Atlantic Council, a Washington-based nonprofit and research center.
The team created a naming and rating system to warn locals and “prevent the risks of exposure to the afternoon heat,” Martín Oalla told USA TODAY. It could eventually become a model for other cities and governments.
Weather experts often alternate between female and male names and start in alphabetical order, but vice versa, hence how this first heatwave got its name Zoe.
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Although the people of Seville are used to the heat, the hot temperatures seem to be more frequent and longer lasting, he said. There has also been a drought caused by rain in Spain and other parts of Europe over the past few months.
Seville has experienced a heatwave as temperatures recently matched or surpassed 106 degrees Fahrenheit, 95 percent higher than daily highs over the past 20 years, said Martín Olalla.
From July 24 to 25, the maximum daily temperature in Seville is about 112 degrees Fahrenheit. Even the daily minimum is as high as 84 degrees, he said.
“Every summer, there are some days in Seville with temperatures above this threshold,” says Martín Olalla. “It’s not extremely rare.”
But this summer, the city experienced maximum daily temperatures above or near 106 degrees for about two weeks. “In this sense, what is extremely rare is the number of days that cross the threshold,” he said.
The group has put out warnings, warnings and other messages on social media to let people know how they can protect themselves.
In a tweet, the organization said staying hydrated is important during times of high temperatures because it can prevent heat stroke.
Seville might be resting in the weather now. Over the next few days, temperatures will be fine, and the past week has been much more comfortable than at the end of July, says Martín Olalla.
Martín Olalla compares heat-related illnesses to car accidents. Both can be devastating, but they’re preventable — if you “take care of yourself,” he says.
Saleen Martin is a reporter for the USA TODAY group. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – 757 – and love all things horror, witchcraft, Christmas and food. Follow her on Twitter at @Saleen_Martin or email her at [email protected].