Forecast calls for 104-degree heat index, a reminder of a warming planet

• Starting Saturday, a heat wave is expected to hit, with a heat index of up to 104.
• Will the heat may make Michiganders more mindful of climate change?
• Research warned that the earth is getting so hot the damage can’t be reversed.

Dangerously hot weather throughout Michigan and much of the Midwest forecasted for this weekend combined with changes in federal energy policy has raised concerns among scientists and environmental groups offering some dire climate predictions.

The four-day heat wave, which is expected continue through Tuesday, is expected to bring temperatures in the 90s, and a daytime heat index forecast — how hot it feels when humidity is combined with the actual air temperature — of up to 104 degrees.

Still the heat may help Michiganders — and lawmakers — to be more mindful of the dangers of climate change and serve as a reminder that a warming planet not only makes for a sweltering summer but portends catastrophic consequences.

Extreme temperatures, the scientists have said, are leading to more, and more intense, hurricanes and wildfires, and eventually, the research suggests, there could be so much damage to the planet that it reaches a point of no return.

The extreme weather is increasing utility bills and insurance premiums.

On top of that, some experts add, the federal environmental roll backs aren’t helping.

Michigan’s two largest utilities, DTE Energy and Consumers Energy, are requesting substantial rate hikes. The Great Lakes Water Authority has said it needs billions of dollars to make infrastructure improvements to help counter climate change threats.

On Wednesday, homeowners in Macomb County faced flood damage.

Extreme heat warning

Michiganders have been warned to stay safe in the heat.

The National Weather Service on Friday issued an extreme heat watch from Saturday morning through Tuesday evening, cautioning that even at night, the warm muggy air with lows in the 70s would provide limited relief.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer weighed in with stay-cool tips, including keeping hydrated, remaining indoors in the air conditioning, wearing plenty of sunscreen, checking on the elderly and never leaving kids or pets unattended in hot cars.

The fear of a warming planet, which some still dismiss as a hoax, is backed by science.

Some of the latest research, released in late April, warned that the earth is close to warming so much that the damage can’t be reversed. But amid the doom, it offered a glimmer of hope: There’s still time for people, and governments, to make changes.

The study, USA TODAY and other outlets reported, identified multiple threats, ranging from the collapse of ice sheets to the destruction of tropical coral reefs and forests, and concluded there was a 62% risk of triggering these tipping points.

“Climate tipping points could have devastating consequences for humanity,” study coauthor Tim Lenton, from the University of Exeter’s Global Systems Institute in the United Kingdom, said. “It is clear that we are currently on a dangerous trajectory.”

A tipping point occurs, the study said, when a small change causes significant and long-term transformation. Exactly what is causing these changes, and when they will occur, has been intensifying — and increasingly troubling scientists.

A glimmer of hope

Meanwhile, the Trump administration is adding to those concerns as it rolls back efforts to study climate change. It withdrew from the United States from the Paris climate agreement, and it seeks to undo climate legislation passed during the previous administration.

Trump’s energy plan aims to boost the use of American-sourced fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas, all of which emit the greenhouse gases that cause climate change, and cuts back and eliminates environmental regulations.

Environmental groups also pointed out last week that federal energy policies, such as continuing to operate a coal-fired power plant in western Michigan that was slated to shut down, will add to greenhouse gas emissions and warm the planet.

Ten organizations challenged the Energy Department’s order to extend the life of the J.H. Campbell plant, which the groups also claimed “usurps the judgment of Michigan regulators,” and is costing power customers millions of dollars.

Still some are holding on to hope.

Climate expert Jonathan Overpeck, dean of the University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability, has pointed out that communities across the country and around the world still are finding ways to fight climate change.

And Jakob Deutloff, of the University of Exeter, said all is not be lost.

“The good news from our study is that the power to prevent climate tipping points is still in our hands,” he said. “By moving toward a more sustainable future with lower emissions, the risk of triggering these tipping points is significantly reduced.”

Contact Frank Witsil: 313-222-5022 or fwitsil@freepress.com.