The unprecedented heatwave hitting the North-Western United States and Western Canada is said to have caused the biggest glacier melt in a century, raising safety concerns and focusing minds on the dangers of global warming and climate change.
Scientists have said that glacial water has been pouring into the Puget Sound, an inlet on the Pacific Ocean and that this is thought to be coming from a glacier.
The heatwave is being caused by what is known as a 'heat dome' in which hot air gets trapped and forced to ground level by weather systems. In recent weeks, Canada has been hit by the highest temperatures in its history, and wildfires have engulfed homes across the Western province of British Columbia.
It is now said by scientists that not only is this the largest glacier-melt in 100 years, but that snow and ice on the peak of Mount Rainier in the US state of Washington is also melting at an unprecedented rate due to the sky-high temperatures.
Scott Pattee, of the Washington Snow Survey and Water Supply Forecasting, told journalists:
"Now we're melting into glaciers and so probably that is what's causing the milky waters down below. It is a big deal, I mean we've been losing glaciers a lot lately due to climate change or whatever it is - but to have them go this rapidly is really quite scary."
He added:
"In my 30 years here in Washington doing this job, I don't recall ever seeing this rapid of a melt when we have a lot of snow. I've seen this amount of snow when we've had low pack years. But when we have this much snow? No. I think this is definitely unprecedented. We're going to set a lot of records."
Canadian health officials in British Columbia have said that they believe that just under 500 people may have died as a result of the heat over recent days. Many areas have now called the crisis a national emergency and built large cooling centres for the homeless and vulnerable. People have been told to stay at home until the heatwave passes. Many homes in British Columbia do not have air-conditioning.
[h/t: KomoNews]
COMMENTS