This week the Biden Administration launched Heat.gov, a new website intended to provide the public and decision-makers with information to understand and reduce the health risks of extreme heat.
The website features heat information from across federal agencies, including heat forecasts from the National Weather Service, the new national Climate and Health Outlook developed by the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Heat and Health Tracker. It also includes heat planning and preparedness guides and information on events and heat and health program funding opportunities, among other resources.
Extreme heat has been the greatest weather-related cause of death in the U.S. for the past 30 years – more than hurricanes, tornadoes, flooding, or extreme cold – killing over 700 people each year. And summers are getting hotter and deadlier, with July 2021 the hottest month ever recorded on Earth. The annual average temperature in the contiguous U.S. is projected to rise by 5 to 8.7 degrees Fahrenheit by the end of this century, necessitating efforts to understand and address risks.
