Huang et al. (2026) Global hotspots of compound extreme heat-pollution linked to local surface and atmospheric conditions

Identification

• Journal: Communications Earth & Environment
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-04-01
• Authors: Ziwei Huang, Ming Luo, Sijia Wu, Hui Zhang, Wenyue Cao
• DOI: 10.1038/s43247-026-03460-9

Research Groups

• Guangdong Key Laboratory for Urbanization and Geo-simulation, School of Geography and Planning, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
• State Key Laboratory of Lake and Watershed Science for Water Security, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, China

Short Summary

This study provides a global assessment of compound extreme heat and particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution events from 2003 to 2020, identifying Sub-Saharan Africa and the Indus River Valley as hotspots and linking these events to specific local surface and atmospheric conditions.

Objective

• To understand the global patterns and physical mechanisms of compound extreme heat-pollution events.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Global, at a 1-kilometer resolution.
• Temporal Scale: 2003 to 2020 (18 years).

Methodology and Data

• Models used: Not applicable; the study performs an assessment based on observational and reanalysis datasets.
• Data sources:
  • Daily temperature dataset (1 km resolution)
  • Daily PM2.5 concentration dataset (1 km resolution)
  • ERA5 reanalysis dataset (single level and pressure levels)

Main Results

• Two global hotspots for frequent compound heat-pollution events were identified: Sub-Saharan Africa and the Indus River Valley.
• These compound events are typically associated with clear and dry conditions, characterized by increased solar radiation and reduced precipitation, humidity, and cloud cover.
• During compound events, a pronounced high-pressure anticyclone is observed in the Indus River Valley.
• Weaker atmospheric circulation changes are noted in Sub-Saharan Africa during these events.

Contributions

• Advances the understanding of the global patterns and physical mechanisms of compound extreme heat-pollution events.
• Provides crucial insights to support improved risk assessments and the development of regional adaptation strategies for these hazards.

Funding

• National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 42371028 and 42501023)

Citation

@article{Huang2026Global,
  author = {Huang, Ziwei and Luo, Ming and Wu, Sijia and Zhang, Hui and Cao, Wenyue},
  title = {Global hotspots of compound extreme heat-pollution linked to local surface and atmospheric conditions},
  journal = {Communications Earth & Environment},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.1038/s43247-026-03460-9},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-026-03460-9}
}