A lasting heatwave and wildfires affect western US

Sentinel-3 SLSTR LST acquired on 09 July 2021 from 17:04:40 to 18:09:16 UTC
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Sentinel-3 SLSTR RBT acquired on 17 July 2021 from 16:57:11 to 18:41:10 UTC
Sentinel-3 SLSTR LST acquired on 19 July 2021 from 05:31:54 to 05:34:54 UTC
Author(s): Sentinel Vision team, VisioTerra, France - svp@visioterra.fr
Keyword(s): Drought, wildfires, emergency, climate change, global warming, snow melt, United States, USA, Canada
Fig. 1 - S3 SLSTR (09-10.07.2021) - After a previous series of heat records, temperatures measured in the western US have peaked again.
2D view
The Death Valley recorded 53°C, Las Vegas equaled its record of 47.2°C, Phoenix and San Jose have also reached some of their highest values.
Fig. 2 - S3 SLSTR (11.07.2021) - Combined with the drought, it caused tens of fires along the coastal areas and as far as Colorado state.
2D view
Fig. 3 - S3 SLSTR (17.07.2021) - A week later, the wildfires have largely spread, such as the 1200 km² Bootleg fire in Oregon.
2D view
So far, human activity has caused global temperatures to rise by ~1.1°C.
Fig. 4 - S3 SLSTR (09-18.07.2021) - Mixing these nightly thermal acquisitions shows the wildfires in dark red.
2D view
It results in more destructive storms, more intense heat waves, droughts and more forest fires.
Fig. 5 - S3 SLSTR (14.07.2021) - By mid July, very little snow covers the Sierra Nevada. The last 6 years are the 6 warmest years on record.
2D view
Fig. 6 - S3 SLSTR (24.07.2016) - Just five years earlier, the snow cover was more extensive by the end of July.
2D view
The views expressed herein can in no way be taken to reflect the official opinion of the European Space Agency or the European Union.
Contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data 2024, processed by VisioTerra.
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