The 2023 Caribbean heat wave was one of the heat waves in the series of the 2023 heat waves. It was an intense weather event characterized by prolonged record-breaking temperatures affecting the Caribbean, South Florida, and the Gulf of Mexico.[1][2]
History
On June 6, 2023, a high-pressure system from east of Puerto Rico combined with dust from the Sahara, increased humidity, and record-breaking Atlantic temperatures (likely exacerbated by climate change)[3] to form a heat dome, which drove the local heat index to historic highs.[2][4][5]
In early June 2023, a LUMA Energy power plant failed during high demand, causing a power outage that affected over 100,000 people in Puerto Rico. LUMA Energy urged customers to conserve energy, and most of the service was restored by June 7.[6]
Statistics
The heat index surpassed 110 °F (43 °C) in some areas, with extremes of 125 °F (52 °C) in northern Puerto Rico.[7] High temperatures continued overnight. San Juan set a record-high minimum of 82 °F (28 °C) for three consecutive nights. Additionally, the island of Saba reported a record 92 °F (33 °C), and Aruba reported 95.5 °F (35.3 °C).[7] Sea temperatures also reached record levels in areas over the Atlantic Ocean.[7] On June 7, an excessive heat warning was issued for north-central Puerto Rico and a heat advisory in other areas.[8]
References
- ^ NOAA, Researchers (14 July 2023). "The ongoing marine heat waves in U.S. waters, explained". NOAA.
- ^ a b Ewing-Chow, Daphne. "Rampant Heatwaves Are A Growing Threat To Caribbean Food Security". Forbes. Retrieved 2023-10-24.
- ^ Sengupta, Somini (2023-06-08). "Record Pollution and Heat Herald a Season of Climate Extremes". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-06-09.
- ^ "125 degrees? Puerto Rico faces 'dangerous situation' with record". NBC News. 2023-06-07. Retrieved 2023-06-09.
- ^ Sengupta, Somini (2023-06-08). "Record Pollution and Heat Herald a Season of Climate Extremes". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-10-24.
- ^ Mazzi, Patricia (19 October 2021). "'Why Don't We Have Electricity?': Outages Plague Puerto Rico". the New York Times. Archived from the original on 3 July 2022.
- ^ a b c Stillman, Dan (2023-06-07). "Historic heat is roasting Puerto Rico, where it feels like 125 degrees". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2023-06-09.
- ^ "Latin America & The Caribbean Weekly Situation Update (As of 7 August 2023) - Guatemala | ReliefWeb". reliefweb.int. 2023-08-07. Retrieved 2023-10-24.
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This page was last edited on 29 February 2024, at 19:19