Impact of Heat Waves on Human Thermal Comfort in the Tapajós National Forest, West of Pará

Authors

  • Tiago Bentes Mandú Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais. Brasil
  • Ana Lucia da Silva Nascimento Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais. Brasil
  • William Duarte Jacondino Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais. Brasil
  • Ana Carla Dos Santos Gomes Universidade Federal do Oeste do Pará/UFOPA. Brasil

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.37002/biodiversidadebrasileira.v11i4.1775

Keywords:

Amazon, thermal sensation, extreme weather events, thermal stress, conservation units

Abstract

Heat waves have been more recurrent through a global warming scenario. Extreme temperatures have some rate of human thermal discomfort due to heat, which can cause and potentiate comorbidities and lead to death in extreme cases. This study evaluated the occurrence of heat waves and their relationship with human thermal discomfort in the Tapajós National Forest region, located in the state of Pará, Brazil. Data were obtained from the conventional weather station of the National Institute of Meteorology, during the period from 1971 to 2019. Human thermal comfort was estimated from the Thom Discomfort Index (DI), which is an empirical methodology capable of representing the thermal environment by means of data of maximum temperature and relative humidity and heat waves were estimated using the CTX90pct index. with higher rates of discomfort in the less rainy season and potentiated in periods of drought in the region. The DI showed that in the presence of heat waves, the discomfort caused by heat felt by the population increases by about 40%. The results presented added to the increase in discomfort can cause effects on health and socioeconomic activities in the region. 

Author Biographies

Ana Lucia da Silva Nascimento, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais. Brasil

Meteorologista, Mestre em Meteorologia pela Univerisdade Federal de Pelotas, Doutoranda em Meteorologia no Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais.

William Duarte Jacondino, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais. Brasil

Meteorologista, Mestre em Meteorologia pela Univerisdade Federal de Pelotas, Doutorando em Meteorologia no Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais.

Ana Carla Dos Santos Gomes, Universidade Federal do Oeste do Pará/UFOPA. Brasil

Professora do Curso de Ciências Atmosféricas da Uiverisdade Federal do Oeste do Pará, doutora em Ciências Climaticas pela Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte

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Published

2021-11-10

Issue

Vol. 11 No. 4 (2021): Análise de Componentes do Sistema Climático e a Biodiversidade no Brasil

Section

Análise de Componentes do Sistema Climático e a Biodiversidade no Brasil

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