Heat like we're seeing this week is only going to become more common with global climate change.

The National Climate Assessment put out by the White House last week points to more heat, more often, particularly in urban areas of the Southwest. That could cause a number of problems, like extended droughts, water shortages, and an increase in infectious diseases spread by insects.

Among those is West Nile virus, a relatively new disease here in America which is spread by mosquitoes. Brittany Patterson, who wrote about the spread of West Nile for the Atlantic, joins the show with more.