The 1995 Chicago Heat Wave Residents of Chicago, Illinois are no strangers to heat. While the city is well known for its viciously cold winters, temperatures in the summer often exceed 90 degrees Fahrenheit. So when it comes to extreme heat, most Chicagoans would state that they are more than capable of handling it. However, the city was not prepared for the heat wave of July 1995. Though summertime is generally hot, the city typically experiences a break from the heat at night, but during the 1995 heat spell they did not. This heat waved proved to be a dangerous time for the city as elevated nighttime temperatures persisted for two consecutive days (Karl, Knight 1118). The area also experienced unusually moist soil that summer, which gave …show more content…
6). When the increased temperatures mixed with high air in the weather system, a heat bubble was essentially created over the city (Kunkel et al. 1). The culture of Chicago intensified the bubble due to the high population density, closely packed buildings and abundance of vehicles driving on asphalt roads and made the area even more susceptible to higher temperatures (Kunkel et al. 10). While the exact number of deaths from the heat wave remains highly debated, it’s estimated that 700 Chicagoans died from heat-related causes between July 13th and July 20th (Whitman et al. 1516; Semenza et al. 84). “From 1979 to 1994 there were a total of 149 heat-related deaths in Chicago. The maximum number to occur in a year was 60 in 1988, and the maximum to occur in one month was 55 in August of 1988, only about one tenth of the number that occurred in July 1995” (Whitman et al. 1516). Although the exact number of casualties is debated, the demographic trends of the deceased are inarguable. Primarily, the victims were at least 65 years of age (Whitman et al. 1516; Browning et al. 3). This is understandable due to the aging body not handling unexpected changes in temperature as well as a younger person. Additionally, the majority of the deceased were impoverished