What is a heatwave and how does it look like

A heatwave is an extreme weather event in which hot air accumulates and gets trapped into a specific area for days, weeks or even months at a time. For a day to be classified as a heatwave, the temperature must be higher than the average recorded in that specific city or region.

Often times, a heatwave comes together with an increase in humidity, making the heat more difficult to bear. Increased humidity during a heatwave generates a reaction on the organism known as thermal stress. Thermal stress is nothing more than the inability of the human body to regulate its temperature naturally, through sweating. When humidity is too high, sweat can't evaporate efficiently and the body is exposed to temperatures that are difficult to bear. High humidity combined with tropical nights represent one of the main causes of illness or death during a heatwave.

Excess heat is one of the main causes of disease that might occur in the cardiovascular or respiratory systems.

What impact does a heatwave have on humans

When you think about the most dangerous extreme weather events, some of the first examples that might come to mind are earthquakes, storms or floodings. In fact, heatwaves are among the main natural manifestations that endanger our lives and it's a phenomenon that we're facing constantly, unlike the others.

And it's not just about the effects on a personal level, a heatwave affects us on a social an economical level, as well as our infrastructure more than any meteorological episode. Some of the most affected economic areas by heatwaves are agriculture, outdoor jobs, water sanitization and transport, especially railway transport.

According to this study, over 60.000 lives were lost in Europe in 2022 because of extreme heat episodes. Unfortunately, heatwaves will continue to affect the population worldwide and, in the future, its effects might amplify because of climate change and global warming.

At the same time, the pollution in the cities combined with concrete constructions that dominate that landscape amplify the temperature we feel and the thermal discomfort.

How does pollution affect heatwaves

A heatwave is an extreme weather phenomenon that has natural causes, but as it is the case with other meteorological events that affect us negatively, it is amplified by human-induced climate change. According to experts from the European Union, air pollution represents a major issue for the population. Additionally, wildfires that appear after a heatwave create pollution themselves, which translates to an even worse air quality, that is already difficult to breathe in, due to high temperatures and humidity.

European authorities added that, in the future, even with a reduction of the emissions, more people could be killed by extreme heat than those exposed to cold temperatures, which will generally increase the mortality rate associated with extreme temperatures, whether we're talking about high or low ones.

How to protect yourself in case of a heatwave

Lucky for you, we just recently wrote an article on how to survive a heatwave and I will give you a few examples from it to sail easier through the extreme temperatures.

First, avoid going out between 11 in the morning and 3 in the afternoon, and if you absolutely must do that, use a transportation method that is equipped with air conditioning. You know your local public transport system better than anyone else and use that to your advantage, but I can give you a tip. If you come to Romania, Bucharest especially and you have to get around the city during mid-day, don't use our public transport, since you're likely to wait a long time before it comes and when it does, you will likely find that it doesn't have aircon. Especially the trams and the trolleybuses and despite me pushing you to use public transport as much as possible, you should avoid it during the summer, as it's basically a sauna on wheels.

My recommendation is to get an Uber or a Bolt, as they are almost guaranteed to come with aircon and a pleasant microclimate for your short trips.

The second tip that may not help you necessarily cool down too much, but that will help you stay in shape throughout the day is to drink plenty of water that has a temperature lower than that of the room, but not from the fridge. Still or sparkling, go crazy, but avoid sodas and alcoholic drinks.

If you lack aircon, you can use a fan and here's a tip to make it more effective. Even if a fan just moves the warm air around the room, you can turn it into an effective cooling system, with a few adjustments, such as a container filled with ice and salt placed in front of the fan. The air will thus travel through the cool vapors and will help you cool down a bit.

Another piece of advice that maybe you haven't considered is to heat lighter foods during a heatwave and this way, you'll help your body digest the food faster and effortlessly. So, give up on the meat and similar foods for a while and instead, switch to fruits, vegetables and salad or dairy products. Also, even if I know it's tough, let go of the coffee during the day, especially the hot variety. If you're an early bird, drink one before the sun starts to heat us all.

At the end of the day, take a slightly warm shower and lower the temperature gradually to a level that you find comfortable to avoid going through a thermal shock. A chilly shower will help you cool down and sleep better.

Last, but not least, don't forget to check on the vulnerable groups, such as elderly people, kids and ill people, both from family and neighbors. Communities are stronger when they're united.

I hope that this article helped you get a better understanding on how a heatwave works and why it's important to treat it with respect and also that the pieces of advice will help you get easier through these uncomfortable episodes.