Number of 25C+ days in Auckland could double by 2050, new research shows
New research from the Auckland Council indicates that the number of days exceeding 25C in Auckland could double by 2050 due to climate change. The study warns of increased health risks from prolonged heatwaves and the compounding effect of the city's urban heat island.
Why it matters
The findings underscore the urgent need for urban planning and public health strategies to adapt to rising temperatures and extreme weather events.
Longer, more frequent heatwaves in the country's largest city could harm and even kill people if more is not done to prepare, heat researchers say.
Auckland Council has published research showing the number of hot days over 25C could double by 2050, under a moderate climate change scenario.
Further into the future, or under a more severe climate scenario, the number could increase by as much as five-fold.
The research also showed that heatwaves lasting weeks are a possibility in future - with often no reprieve at night-time either.
Council principal sustainability and resilience adviser Lauren Simpson said at the moment, the longest heatwave during a hot summer was about four days.
"That will shift to the longest heat wave being about 20 days in 2090 under a high warming scenario, so really extended periods of hot weather," she said.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in