You are here

Home

(TLP:CLEAR) Research Report - Extreme Heat Streaks on the Rise, Heightening the Risk to Utility Workers and Infrastructure

(TLP:CLEAR) Research Report - Extreme Heat Streaks on the Rise, Heightening the Risk to Utility Workers and Infrastructure

TLP:CLEAR
Created: Wednesday, August 6, 2025 - 15:04
Categories:
Natural Disasters, Research

Summary: Multi-day heat streaks are on the rise in cities across the country. The increasing extreme heat is putting more people at risk from heat-related illness and straining the power grid, heightening risk of outages, according to a recent report from Climate Central, a nonprofit research organization.

Analyst Note: Extreme heat has been the greatest weather-related cause of death in the U.S. for the past 30 years – more than hurricanes, tornadoes, flooding, or extreme cold – killing around 2,000 people annually, according to data from the CDC. To understand how multi-day extreme heat events are changing amid the Earth’s warming climate, Climate Central analyzed the changing frequency of extreme heat streaks in 247 cities across the U.S. ​​from 1970 to 2024. The researchers uncovered the following key findings:

  • Multi-day heat streaks are dangerous. They worsen air quality and put people at risk from heat-related illness. They can also strain the grid and lead to power outages. 
  • They’re also becoming more common. The annual number of extreme heat streaks increased in 80% (198) of the cities analyzed by Climate Central from 1970 to 2024.
  • On average, these 198 cities now experience two more extreme heat streaks each year than in the early 1970s. 
  • As heat-trapping pollution warms the planet, extreme heat events are becoming more frequent and intense, escalating heat risks across the globe.

Extreme heat can significantly impact utility workers in the field and stress infrastructure assets themselves. A past report from the Association of Metropolitan Agencies (AMWA), which operates WaterISAC, and the Water Utility Climate Alliance (WUCA), titled “It's Hot and Getting Hotter: Implications of Extreme Heat on Water Utility Staff and Infrastructure and Ideas for Adapting,” describes the implications of heat impacts on utility personnel and assets over the next 50 years.

Original Source: https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/extreme-heat-streaks-2025

Additional Reading:

Mitigation Recommendations:

Related WaterISAC PIRs: 16 & 17