Southeast Asia hit with record-breaking heat, high air pollution

Several cities in Southeast Asia experienced sweltering temperatures over the weekend, with some hitting record highs as global climate change intensifies heatwaves and air pollution in the region.

The temperature in the Vietnamese city of Tuong Duong hit an all-time high of 111.6 degrees Fahrenheit (44.2 degrees Celsius) on Sunday, according to the Vietnam National Center for Hydrometeorological Forecasting. The Laotian city of Luang Prabang recorded an all-time high of 110.3 degrees Fahrenheit (43.5 degrees Celsius) on Saturday, according to Thailand’s meteorological department.

Thailand’s capital, Bangkok, also experienced a record high of 105.8 degrees Fahrenheit (41 degrees Celsius) over the weekend.

Singapore’s temperature hit 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit (37 degrees Celsius) on Saturday, a record set 40 years ago, Singapore’s National Environment Agency said.

Southeast Asia is one of the most vulnerable regions to climate change, which has exacerbated more frequent and severe heat waves and increased air pollution in the region. Extreme heat and high levels of smog in the region exacerbate the risk of heat-related illnesses as well as respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.

This year’s heat could be linked to a range of issues, including less rainfall last winter and El Niño, a weather pattern that typically brings hotter and drier conditions to the region.

The hottest months in Southeast Asia are typically the dry season, March through May, when temperatures often reach over 100°F (38°C). The region’s dry season usually ends with the monsoon season, which brings cooler temperatures and rainfall.

However, a 2022 study in the journal Communications Earth & Environment warns that by the end of the century, the frequency of dangerously high temperatures is expected to increase between three and 10 times.

The tropics, which include much of Asia, could face twice the number of days of “extremely dangerous heat” of 124 degrees Fahrenheit (51 degrees Celsius), according to the study. In addition to rising temperatures and humidity, Asia faces hazards such as floods, droughts and typhoons.

Globally, 2022 will be one of the hottest years on record as ocean heat increased and Antarctica’s sea ice cover melted to near record lows, according to U.S. government data.