WVXU: Are heat waves the new normal?
Environmental studies professor talks about record-setting heat this year
WVXU’s Cincinnati Edition turned to an environmental studies professor at the University of Cincinnati to put record heat waves countries around the world have been seeing into context.
Bob Hyland, an associate professor and educator in UC’s College of Arts and Sciences, said this has been the hottest summer on record globally, based on data collected by the Copernicus Climate Change Service.
“It is getting hotter. These hot temperatures in July are on the heels of the hottest June in the 174-year-record we have,” Hyland told Cincinnati Edition host Lucy May.
Hyland was joined by WCPO-9 morning meteorologist Jennifer Ketchmark, who noted that this is an El Niño year, which tends to create warmer air currents. The Southwest has been affected the most this year, she said.
“For the last 30 to 40 days, it has been breaking heat records. Just overwhelming heat building in the Southwest,” she said.
Ketchmark said the best way to beat the extreme heat is to drink more water to stay hydrated, wear lightweight, loose-fitting and light-colored clothing and when possible to avoid going outside in the afternoon when the heat is at its peak.
Ketchmark said the high temps can lead to other extreme weather. Cincinnati has gotten 8 inches of rain in July, more than double the normal amount.
How are we coping? Not always well, Hyland said.
“Heat is the No. 1 killer in terms of climate. That’s the concern,” Hyland said.
Ketchmark said heat-related deaths often spike on the third day of a heat wave when people’s bodies can no longer cope with the stress.
Hyland noted that deadly heat can affect neighborhoods disproportionately. A 2020 study by Cincinnati found that some neighborhoods serve as urban heat islands, trapping the heat from the sun overnight like an oven that is slow to cool. These neighborhoods have high-density construction and unshaded parking lots that can create a heat sink.
“If we’re going to get our arms around this problem, what we need to do is reduce the amount of greenhouse gas going into the atmosphere,” Hyland said.
Related Stories
6 ways starting a GLP-1 medication could affect your emotions
May 20, 2026
When patients first start taking a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) medication, they probably expect to feel full. But they might not anticipate how it can influence their emotions. The medications act on the stomach and the brain, said Malti Vij, MD, a University of Cincinnati adjunct associate professor in the College of Medicine's Department of Internal Medicine and a diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine.
Pocket-sized population threat
May 18, 2026
The Financial Times took a deep dive into why populations around the world continue to be on the decline. The publication cited new University of Cincinnati research as part of the investigation that looks at the fall of fertility in the digital era.
Colorado silica dust trial could change the way industry does business
May 17, 2026
Betsy Malloy, Andrew Katsanis Professor of Law, at the University of Cincinnati, spoke with Bloomberg Law about how a Colorado trial could change the way the stone fabrication industry does business.