heatwave

In March 2026, the Western U.S. heatwave generated a +11.5°F monthly anomaly, unprecedented in 170 years of instrumental observations and second only to the Dust Bowl in station-record breadth. In this Special Report, we examine the observational record, attribution, and the possible emergence of a more significant climate signal: evidence of increasing temperature variance that mean-shift models could systematically miss.

Characterizing the relationship of extreme weather events to man-made global warming is essential for crafting effective mitigation policies and adaptation strategies.

Beginning on June 26th, and lasting for the better part of a week, a massive “heat dome” settled across the Pacific Northwest, creating some of the most extreme heat conditions ever observed in North America. With record-setting temperatures upwards of 40 degrees Celsius above average, this heatwave generated significant global media coverage. Below, Berkeley Earth […]