Heat waves are a silent killer. Unlike other extreme weather phenomena, you can’t see them coming, and they don’t leave behind a trail of destruction. But they kill more people than any other weather hazard in the country and exact a greater toll in the developing world. And they are getting worse because of climate change. “Naming events does not convey anything about the nature of the specific risks or impacts nor does it help nuance understanding of how those vary by a range of population characteristics — much less convey anything about the science,” Susan Jasko, a professor specializing in weather communications at the University of Alabama, said in an email. She stressed that any naming initiative should be a part of a larger strategy to educate different audiences about the hazard.