Europe batters most severe heatwave: Mercury spike overtakes seasonal averages by 12°C in France, Germany, Italy, Spain
As Europe batters most severe heatwave, a study published on Friday revealed that temperatures were between 5°C and 12°C above the seasonal averages across France
As Europe batters most severe heatwave, a study published on Friday revealed that temperatures were between 5°C and 12°C above the seasonal averages across France, Germany, Italy, Spain and southern England. Researchers at World Weather Attribution said high night-time temperatures and humidity made June’s heatwave particularly dangerous. Researchers observed temperature data and forecasts for an analysis of the heatwave that started on June 18 and conclude that this is the most severe heatwave to have ever been recorded in Europe and most severe humid heat event. According to the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service, Europe is the world’s fastest-warming continent, with temperatures increasing at twice the speed as the global average since the 1980s. It's not El-Nino, climate change is the driving force behind the heat Co-author of the study and research associate at Imperial College London, Theodore Keeping, said, “This was the most severe heatwave for any time of the year, not just June,” adding, “June is heating faster than any other month and now these temperatures are expected regularly," Bloomberg reported.
Researchers blamed climate change for extremely high temperatures, dismissing the cyclical impact of an emerging El Niño pattern. “The increase in temperatures was so dramatic that we would have expected to have never seen this event in the 1976 climate,” Theodore Keeping said as he observed that this situation would have been very, very rare, even 23 years ago in 2003. The study revealed that a total of 45% of 854 cities across 30 European countries have already hit records for wet-bulb globe temperatures or are expected to break in some time. Notably, wet-bulb globe temperatures measure heat stress and the body’s ability to cool itself by sweating. A researcher at the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre and a co-author of the study, Carolina Pereira noted, “Many people still live, work, and study in places that are not designed for the temperatures we are now experiencing.” Also Read | Monsoon arrives in Mumbai; IMD says Delhi to see light rain How European countries are dealing with heatwave As people seek relief in rivers, lakes, and canals, multiple drownings incidents were reported in Germany and France, a country where air conditioning isn’t widespread.
Misting stations have been set up at iconic tourist landmarks such as Eiffel Tower to cool down crowds and to prevent heat exhaustion and life-threatening heat stroke. According to the World Health Organization, more than 200,000 people across Europe died from heat-related causes in the last four years. The French government banned alcohol consumption in “red alert” zones to “preserve emergency services and
The BriefWire