Heat Wave of 03

1
Heat Wave of 03

• Cause and Effect
• of the Heat Wave that struck Europe in 2003
• Philip Diaz
• Ashley Thompson

2
First Things First

• A heat wave is a prolonged period of excessive
  hot weather
• Severe Heat waves have caused catastrophic crop
  failures, wide spread power outages, and worst of
  all, thousands of deaths
• Heat Waves kill more people annually that floods,
  hurricanes, tornadoes, and earthquakes combined

3
Health Risks

• Among the health risks of excessive heat is
  Hyperthermia
• 40C (or 104F)-Life Threatening
• 41C(or 106F)-Subject may go Brain Dead
• At 45C(or 113F)-Death is Nearly Certain

4
Power Spike

• Power outages are common with heat waves. The
  ex-cessive heat causes many to keep the A/C full
  blast around the clock. Thousands of people
  doing this at the same time can overwhelm local
  power plants.

5
Quenched Earth

• Heat Waves cause massive droughts. The prolonged
  period with out rain can turn scores of thriving
  vegetation into barren ground.
• A situation like this becomes a tinder box for
  Wildfires

6
2003 European Heat Wave
7
Temperatures Rises

• The heat wave struck in late July, and peaked in
  August, and lasted until early October. Between
  that time, it is estimated that 35,000 to 50,000
  European Citizens lost their lives due to the
  heat, many of which were the elderly, and the
  very young

8
No Escape

• For many Europeans, especially in N. Europe, were
  hot summers are not common, there was little
  anyone could do to take refuge from the heat.
• Many homes and businesses were not equipped with
  Air Conditioners

9
No Plans

• Europe was equipped with hundreds of contingency
  plans for natural disasters, but heat waves were
  never considered by any country to be a natural
  disaster

10
Cause and Effect

• Heat waves are caused by extra-ordinary weather
  in other parts of the world taking place
  generally at the same time

11
Cause of the 03 Heat Wave

• The Heat Wave of 2003 that struck Europe is
  attributed greatly to Global Warming
• 2003 was one of the hottest years on record
• Australias worst ever recorded drought took
  place generally the same time as the heat wave.
  Many believe this was the contributing factor to
  the heat wave. Rising global temperatures are
  believed to be the reasoning behind the drought.
  It is believed that Europe has not seen the last
  of summer heat waves.

12
Death by Heat

• The Death toll of the 03 Heat Wave is still
  disputed, but it has been decided it was between
  at least 35,000 and at most 50,000

13
Death by Heat

• France alone suffered over 14,000 deaths, by far
  the highest of heat related deaths than any other
  country.
• Blame fell on the nations health system and
  government agencies.

14
Snowballs Chance

• In Switzerland, the heat melted glaciers in the
  Alps.
• Flash Floods occurred, and a record heat of 41C
  were recorded (103.4F)
• Bern, Switzerland?

15
Rivers Run Low

• Danube and Elbe River were so low, it was
  impossible for ships to navigate them.

16
Smoke on the Horizon

• Portugal suffered wildfires from the months of
  prolonged rainfall.
• 4000 sq. kilometers of forest and countryside
  were consumed.
• Thats nearly 15 of the country

17
Crops Fry in the Field

• Crops all over Europe died from the heat and
  dryness
• Ukraine and Moldova suffered record wheat loss,
  nearly 80 of their annual take.
• Wheat, barely, oilseed, olives, and grapes
  suffered greatly from the disaster.