It is hot. As I have stated before, we seem to have gone from rain and cloudy skies to endless heat; on Wednesday a report from the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) stated that on Sunday, July 21 the daily global average temperature reached a record high of 17.09 degrees Celsius (62.762 Fahrenheit). This temperature slightly exceeded the previous record of 17.08°C (62.744°F) on July 6, 2023. And then, based on preliminary data released by the C3S, July 21 was the hottest day since at least 1940 by a small margin of 0.01°C.

“While it is almost indistinguishable from the previous record, what really stands out is the difference between the temperatures since July 2023 and all previous years,” according to the C3S report. “Before July 2023, the previous daily global average temperature record was 16.8°C (62.24°F), on 13 August 2016. Since 3 July 2023 there have been 57 days that have exceeded that previous record, distributed between July and August 2023, and during June and July so far in 2024.”

So it’s not just that temperatures are rising but that the highest daily global temperatures show that both 2023 and 2024 have seen annual highs substantially above those recorded in previous years, according to the C3S.

“Another sign of the global warming trend is the fact that the 10 years with the highest daily average temperatures are the last 10 years, from 2015 to 2024,” according to C3S.

This apparently is our new norm. I have spent a lot of time in this column speaking about human-caused climate change and how Mother Nature can only hold up for so long; however, there is a new aspect to all of this, a new direction of study that I think needs to be focused on and that is mental health and the climate.

I don’t know about you but to me the heat seems to bring out the worst in people. For the most part, those you meet in our local community are nice. They smile and at times even offer you the chance to go ahead of them in line at the supermarket when they have a large basket of items and you just have a couple of things. In some ways our local community is like that dreamlike Willoughby in “Twilight Zone: A Stop at Willoughby.” Where everyone seems kind and welcoming, a throwback to the illusion of the good old days. And then the temperature rises and the krakens are released in the form of extremely cranky people who are upset over small things, like an automatic door at the grocery store not opening fast enough after having to walk in the first place from the “really hot” parking lot to the door.

I think we all know hot temps can bring out hot tempers and cloudy days can bring on SAD (seasonal affective disorder). I attended a webinar on Monday that actually focused on how climate can affect mental health and that more studies are looking into how serious this can be as we grapple with more climate change issues.

The webinar focused specifically on how drought affects mental and physical health. It was hosted by NOAA and the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS).

“From worsening water quality to respiratory and mental health impacts, drought can have a profound and widespread impacts on the health of communities across the nation,” according to a paper by Summer Woolsey, University of Nebraska College of Public Health.

Researchers at the University of Nebraska released a guide to assist those working in health care to communicate the health risks of drought. They have identified increases in respiratory mortality and heat-related mortality and reported stress associated with drought events. The guide covers how drought can affect a community, including changes in mosquito and tick habitat, loss of agriculture and food security, decreased water quality, more wildfires, frequent and more intense heat waves and increased dust and dust storms. These changes due to drought can increase the risks of negative mental health like depression, infectious diseases like West Nile virus and Lyme disease, heat stroke, heat exhaustion and respiratory illnesses.

Although these are all related to drought, heat is another factor that can cause mental and physical health concerns, especially for those who have health issues to begin with. For example, people with diabetes tend to get dehydrated more quickly than people without diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

“High temperatures can change how your body uses insulin,” according to the CDC.

In a BBC article titled, “What do heat waves do to the body and who is at risk?” James Gallagher, author of the article, explained that our bodies strive to keep a core temperature of about 37°C (98.6°F) regardless of whether we are in a snowstorm or a heat wave. When the weather gets hotter, our bodies have to work harder to keep the core temperature down and so we sweat, which causes a loss of fluids and salt.

According to Baylor College of Medicine, excessive heat can change emotions and behavior that can result in anger, irritability, aggression, stress and fatigue … things I think we all know.

“Heat alters those behaviors because of its impact on serotonin, the primary neurotransmitter that regulates mood,” according to Baylor.

Vanderbilt University has some suggestions on how to manger heat-driven anger including:

• Pay attention to what your body and mouth are saying. Does your heart feel like it is speeding up? Do you feel lightheaded?
• Anticipate triggers. What normally makes you uncomfortable or tense? Crowded restaurants? Long lines? Try building in breaks, setting a limit on the amount of time you spend in places and with people who are triggers for your anger.
• Analyze your thinking for incorrect assumptions or misperceptions.
• Be aware of contributing factors, like are you tired or hungry.
• Think before you speak or act. As you feel anger building, take a moment to step back.
• Breathe. Take a breath, take a moment.
• Know what you can and cannot control. You cannot control the weather, including the heat, but you can control your own feelings and reactions.

I think a lot of us forget how connected we are to this Earth. At our office this week we all have wondered what is wrong because we have been feeling so tired and, at times, it has been difficult to concentrate. We are in an air-conditioned office with plenty of chocolate so we know we are pretty lucky and yet we all talk about this cloud hanging over us. I think because we take the weather for granted – we don’t realize how it affects us.

So now that we understand where that anger and frustration is coming from we can take a moment to step back and get in tune with Mother Nature instead of blaming her for that darn automatic door not opening fast enough.

NOAA has released a heat advisory for the area that began on Wednesday and will end tonight, Thursday, at 10 p.m. There is a potential for temperatures today to go up to 100°F. There appears to be a cooling trend going into the weekend. Friday will see highs around 92; highs on Saturday, Sunday and Monday are expected in the mid 80s and then the heat rebounds as we head into next week.

Today’s temperatures will be a little above normal. NOAA does not have a normal temperature guide for Crescenta Valley; however, at this time of the year the normal temperature in Burbank is 88 degrees.

regardless of whether we are in a snowstorm or a heat wave. When the weather gets hotter, our bodies have to work harder to keep its core temperature down and so we sweat, which causes a loss of fluids and salt.

According to Baylor College of Medicine, excessive heat can change emotions and behavior that can result in anger, irritability, aggression, stress and fatigue … things I think we all know.

        “Heat alters those behaviors because of its impact on serotonin, the primary neurotransmitter that regulates mood,” according to Baylor.

Vanderbilt University has some suggestions on how to manger heat-driven anger including:

• Pay attention to what your body and mouth are saying. Does your heart feel like it is speeding up? Do you feel lightheaded?
• Anticipate triggers. What normally makes you uncomfortable or tense? Crowded restaurants? Long lines? Try building in breaks, setting a limit on the amount of time you spend in places and with people who are triggers for your anger.
• Analyze your thinking for incorrect assumptions or misperceptions.
• Be aware of contributing factors, like are you tired or hungry.
• Think before you speak or act. As you feel anger building, take a moment to step back.
• Breathe. Take a breath, take a moment.
• Know what you can and cannot control. You cannot control the weather, including the heat, but you can control your own feelings and reactions.

I think a lot of us forget how connected we are to this Earth. At our office this week we all have wondered what is wrong because we have been feeling so tired and, at times, it has been difficult to concentrate. We are in an air-conditioned office with plenty of chocolate so we know we are pretty lucky and yet we all talk about this cloud hanging over us. I think because we take the weather for granted – we don’t realize how it affects us.

So now that we understand where that anger and frustration is coming from we can take a moment to step back and get in tune with Mother Nature instead of blaming her for that darn automatic door not opening fast enough.

NOAA has released a heat advisory for the area that began on Wednesday and will end tonight, Thursday, at 10 p.m. There is a potential for temperatures today to go up to 100°F. There appears to be a cooling trend going into the weekend. Friday will see highs around 92; highs on Saturday, Sunday and Monday are expected in the mid 80s and then the heat rebounds as we head into next week.

Today’s temperatures will be a little above normal. NOAA does not have a normal temperature guide for Crescenta Valley; however, at this time of the year the normal temperature in Burbank is 88 degrees.