Earth's warming climate is making heatwaves both hotter and more frequent. As the global average temperature anomaly rises, we will begin to see maximums of heat and humidity which currently occur nowhere on this planet.
Wet bulb temperature is a measure of heat and humidity combined. Our bodies can withstand absurdly hot temperatures so long as the air remains dry. Humidity makes it more difficult for our skin to cool itself through sweat; this is why humidity makes heat feel so much more oppressive.
A 32 Celsius wet bulb temperature is basically unprecedented. The hottest it ever currently gets in the Ganges is 31C wet bulb. But by the 2070s/2080s, the above map demonstrates how much more common these deadly heatwaves will become
[source].
Hard manual labor in these temperatures is deadly, even for heat adjusted people (such as those raised in the Ganges plain). Even brief trips outside of air conditioning could cause serious problems; people living without AC would need to take serious precautions to survive these heatwaves. For reference, a 35C wet bulb temperature is the limit of human endurance; being outside for any length of time in those conditions will everyone, as our skin is unable to sweat
[source].
With this in mind, massage your temples and imagine: the year is 2071. Mississippi is holding its primary elections for governor, etc. at the beginning of August. But low and behold, election-day coincides with one of these 32C wet bulb heat waves. Weather stations advise all residents to stay indoors, or if they live without air conditioning, to spend the day in malls, libraries, or other air conditioned public spaces. What happens?
