Temperatures surge as record-breaking heat wave hits Europe

The heatwave which has been affecting parts of Western, Central and Eastern Europe since June 27 has come amid worrying global weather patterns as extreme droughts and temperature peaks spark concerns among communities across the world.

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, heatwaves have become more frequent over the last 50 years, while the length, frequency and intensity of heatwaves will probably increase over most land areas during this century.

A similar phenomenon to what is being experienced in Europe has also been felt in parts of the United States and China, as well as in India and Pakistan where thousands of people have lost their lives.

The Geneva-based World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) indicated on Friday that many areas located in the Western U.S. are experiencing high temperatures, which is further drying the soils and increasing the risk of wildfires in the region while Southwest China has experienced a heatwave with temperatures surpassing 35 degrees Celsius on a widespread area accompanied by heavy rainfall.

According to WMO, the European heatwave is atypical not only for its early arrival in the summer period, but also because of its extensive geographical reach.

Weather forecasts indicate that the anticyclone spreading from Scandinavia down to the Western Mediterranean through Central Europe is set to stay at least until Tuesday next week, after which a decrease in temperatures on Wednesday is expected to alleviate the situation.

Many European countries have recorded unusually high temperatures over the last week, such as in parts of the Iberian Peninsula (43 degrees Celsius) where the heatwave began, areas of France (40 degrees Celsius) including Paris where officials opened five major parks at night to help people cool down, Germany (38 degrees Celsius), Italy and England (36 degrees Celsius).

Given the consistently high temperatures raging across much of Europe combined with prevailing dry conditions, parallels with the 2003 heatwave which killed some 70,000 people are being drawn, though WMO highlighted that Europe is much better prepared in terms of heat-health action plans.

A report recently published by the World Health Organization (WHO) highlights the negative repercussions such heatwaves can have on societies, including a rise in mortality rates, as well as the increased strain on infrastructure such as power, water and transport.

According to Meteoalarm, a web-based service warning people of severe weather in Europe, both Switzerland and Western Poland are still on maximum red alert as high temperatures prevail.

On the other side of the spectrum, while South and Central Europe continue to suffer from extreme temperatures, Northern Europe is experiencing one of its coolest summer beginnings on record.

Though it is still early to say whether the ongoing heatwave affecting Europe is directly linked to climate change, WMO indicated that climate change scenarios predict that heatwaves will increasingly reflect the traits of the current crisis in terms of frequency, length and intensity.

Meteoswiss recommends avoiding physical efforts, while trying to keep cool and drinking at least 1.5 litres of water a day to reduce the risk of experiencing heatstroke.
  Xinhua - china.org.cn
6/7/15