{
  "id": 2170006,
  "title": "Climate change will triple the number of days over 105 F in the US. The health impacts will be dire.",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/20/climate-change-will-triple-the-number-of-days-over-105-f-in-the-us",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-08-20T16:00:32.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Live Science",
    "slug": "live-science",
    "url": "https://www.livescience.com/products/health-fitness/climate-change-will-triple-the-number-of-days-over-105-f-in-the-us-the-health-impacts-will-be-dire"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A recent study reveals that climate change will triple the number of days in the United States exceeding 105 degrees Fahrenheit (40.6 degrees Celsius), posing dire health consequences. Researchers at Purdue University and the University of New South Wales determined that humans can survive up to 95 degrees Fahrenheit (35 degrees Celsius) in 100% humidity, beyond which irreversible physiological processes lead to death. As the climate warms, more regions worldwide approach this threshold, with projections of 35 C wet bulb temperatures by mid-century. However, the risk of heat stress intensifies for older adults, women, and individuals with medical conditions, as physical activity also elevates this risk. In some parts of Asia, South America, and Australia, the hottest days are already considered unlivable for healthy adults in shade with light breezes.\n\nThe western U.S. experienced a heat dome on July 12, 2026, with numerous weather stations recording their highest temperatures since records began. Similar heat waves will become more frequent due to climate change, leading to tens of thousands of additional heat-related deaths by 2100. Nearly 20,000 people could die each year by the middle of the century in the United States, contributing to an estimated 9,000 additional suicides annually. Heat indirectly affects health by exacerbating cardiovascular conditions, causing chronic heart diseases to become fatal, increasing sleeplessness, and impairing cognition. Heat waves often coincide with droughts or extreme weather, potentially causing food and water shortages, acting as a stress multiplier.\n\nIn North America, the heat poses risks in the Southwest and Southeast, where the hottest days present similar dangers. Heat is responsible for immediate fatalities through heat stroke, occurring when core body temperature surpasses 104 F (40 C). While heat accounts for a significant portion of heat-related deaths, researchers believe it contributes to many more deaths since official records often don't list heat as a cause of death. Heat disproportionately affects people with cardiovascular issues, with the risk of heart attacks doubling on extreme heat days. Additionally, the risk of stroke nearly doubles on the hottest days, and heat may influence the immune system's role in cardiac cases. Deaths related to extreme heat days in the U.S. are projected to more than double by mid-century, potentially reaching nearly 20,000 if temperatures rise by 8.1 degrees Fahrenheit (4.5 degrees Celsius).\n\nThose at highest risk for heat-related illnesses include older adults, children and teenagers, and individuals working outdoors. As people age, their heart pumps less efficiently, making it harder to cool down through blood circulation. Children generate more body heat than adults due to differing fat composition, lower skin surface area, and reduced sweating, making them more susceptible to heat stroke. Outdoor workers often exert themselves in extreme heat and may struggle to maintain adequate hydration. Certain medical conditions, such as diabetes, which can impair sweating and blood vessel dilation, and medications like diuretics, beta blockers, and SSRIs, also increase the risk of heat-related illness. Mental illness is another risk factor, with higher temperatures linked to a 0.7% increase in suicides per 1.8 F (1 degree Celsius) rise in monthly average temperatures. By 2050, temperatures surpassing 5 degrees Celsius (9 degrees Fahrenheit) could result in between 9,000 and 40,000 additional suicides in the U.S. and Mexico, akin to the projected increase in suicides during a severe economic recession.",
  "summary": "Extreme heat will become more common as the climate continues to warm. That will affect almost every facet of our health.",
  "key_points": [
    "Climate change will triple US days over 105°F by mid-century",
    "Heat stress risk highest for older adults, women, medical conditions",
    "Heat indirectly causes 9,000 additional suicides annually by 2050"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}