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Why Is Extreme Heat So Deadly? : 1A Heat is the deadliest weather-related hazard in the U.S.

Over the last 10 years, it's killed an average of 135 people per year. That's more than floods, hurricanes, or tornadoes, according to the National Weather Service.

Today, more than 13 million Americans are under an extreme heat warning, according to Heat.gov. On Aug. 3, it was 124 million. That's more than a third of the people in the U.S.

We discuss how we can adapt to a hotter future and what we can expect in the years to come.

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Why Is Extreme Heat So Deadly?

Why Is Extreme Heat So Deadly?

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Firefighters put out hot spots from the Washburn Fire in Yosemite National Park, California. NIC COURY/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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NIC COURY/AFP via Getty Images

Firefighters put out hot spots from the Washburn Fire in Yosemite National Park, California.

NIC COURY/AFP via Getty Images

Heat is the deadliest weather-related hazard in the U.S.

Over the last 10 years, it's killed an average of 135 people per year. That's more than floods, hurricanes, or tornadoes, according to the National Weather Service.

Today, more than 13 million Americans are under an extreme heat warning, according to Heat.gov. On Aug. 3, it was 124 million. That's more than a third of the people in the U.S.

Heat.gov is a new collaboration between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and other federal agencies to improve our response to extreme heat.

How can we adapt to a hotter future? What can we expect in the years to come?

Phoenix's Director of Heat Response and Mitigation David Hondula, NOAA's Juli Trtanj, and the University of Washington's Kristie Ebi join us for the conversation.

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