"Parts of the U.S. territory reached a “life-threatening” heat index of 125 degrees Fahrenheit on Monday, driven by a combination of an intense heat dome, El Niño and climate change."
"Puerto Ricans are no strangers to heat.
Even on its coldest winter days, the Caribbean island and largest U.S. territory rarely sees daytime temperatures below 70 degrees Fahrenheit. But Puerto Rico is so hot this week that it’s baffling some weather experts, who warn that other parts of the world will likely experience similar extreme heat this year as climate change and an exceptionally strong El Niño drive global temperatures to historic highs.
In a series of tweets Monday, Florida-based meteorologist Jeff Berardelli warned of “life-threatening heat” in Puerto Rico, with conditions on the island becoming “so hot that some meteorologists are astonished.”
The heat index—which combines temperature with humidity—soared above 100 degrees Fahrenheit across much of the territory on Monday, with parts of Puerto Rico reaching a heat index as high as 125 degrees. High humidity combined with high temperatures can be especially dangerous since less sweat can evaporate off your body to cool it off. That heat is expected to persist through at least Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service, which issued an excessive heat warning across the island, urging Puerto Ricans to “take extra precautions” to stay cool while outside."
Kristoffer Tigue reports for Inside Climate News June 6, 2023.
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