Noon Edition airs on Fridays at noon on WFIU.

In the last three months, the world has seen extreme weather – from heat waves in the Northwest United States, and droughts and fires out West to flash floods in China. 

And according to the National Weather Service a heat wave has spread across the Midwest and Great Plains this week– with some areas experiencing temperatures 10 to 15 degrees above average.

The spike in temperatures is the result of a heat dome; high pressure air, which will hold hot, dry weather in one area.  While a heat domes prevents rain and storms at its center, severe storms will erupt along the periphery. Upper areas of the Midwest will be at a Level 4 and 5 storms threat this week.

Experts say these weather events are a result of climate change. The analysis by World Weather Attribution has not yet been peer-reviewed, but its findings indicate that the unprecedented heat and droughts seen in the U.S. could not have occurred without climate change.

Now experts are pushing for lawmakers and world leaders to take action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and prevent global temperatures from rising more than 2.7 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels. --- the temperature that would or something that explains why 2.7 is important.

This week on Noon Edition, we’ll talk with weather and climate experts about the extreme weather experienced this summer and its consequences.

You can follow us on Twitter @NoonEdition or join us on the air by calling in at 812-855-0811 or toll-free at 1-877-285-9348. You can also send us questions for the show at news@indianapublicmedia.org.

Note: This week of our guests and hosts will participate remotely to avoid risk of spreading infection. 

Guests

Wade Lowe, WFIU Weather Correspondent

Gabriel Filippelli, Director of the Center for Urban Health, Executive Director of the Environmental Resilience Institute

Travis Allen O'Brien, Assistant Professor, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences