Dramatic increase in humidity due to climate change putting people's health at risk, report finds

People find it harder to cool down in hot and humid conditions because sweating is less effective than in dry heat, and continued physical activity during high humid heat can lead to serious health issues, the experts warn.

Climate change drove record levels of global humidity in 2024, posing a rising risk to people's health, a new report has warned.

The latest 'State of the Climate' report published by the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society (BAMS) found 2024 set new records for levels of water vapour in the atmosphere and the number of humid days.