The longest-lasting 2023 western North American heat wave was fueled by the record-warm Atlantic Ocean
Hosmay Lopez, Sang‐Ki Lee, Robert West, Dongmin Kim, Liwei Jia
Abstract
According to the World Meteorological Organization, 2023 was ranked as the second warmest year in the global surface temperature record since 1850, setting warm surface temperature records over more than 20% of the global land surface. In particular, the southwestern United States (US) and Northern Mexico experienced their longest stretch of record-breaking heat wave, affecting over 100 million people, causing over 200 deaths, and $14.5 billion in economic loss. Here we show that the 2023 heat wave event was linked to a strong anticyclonic blocking pattern that persisted for more than six weeks across the western US. Regression analysis and atmospheric model simulations suggest that the anticyclonic pattern was ultimately forced by the extremely warm sea surface temperature in the Atlantic. The combination of a warm Atlantic and a developing Pacific El Niño significantly amplified regional heat waves, doubling their number, tripling their days, and increasing their duration by about 50%.