Europe and US scorched by record-breaking heatwave, with temperatures touching 50-degree Celsius
A woman shades herself under an umbrella during an ongoing heat wave with temperatures reaching 44 degrees, at Colosseo area (Colosseum), on July 17 in Rome. (Photo: Getty Images)
Heatwaves are scorching North America, Europe, and Asia, prompting health authorities to issue urgent warnings. From Greece's threatened beach town of Loutraki to China's record-breaking temperatures, the impacts of global warming are being felt far and wide.
A forest fire fueled by strong winds threatens the popular beach town of Loutraki near Athens, Greece. Firefighters manage to rescue 1,200 children from the endangered camps.
China's arid northwest experienced extreme temperatures exceeding 52 degrees Celsius on Sunday (July 16), setting a new national record. This region battled freezing temperatures as low as minus 50 degrees Celsius just six months ago.
Europe braces for record-breaking temperatures
Europe, the fastest-warming continent, is preparing for potentially record-breaking temperatures. The islands of Sicily and Sardinia in Italy face scorching highs of 48 degrees Celsius, the highest ever recorded in the region.
Italy has issued warnings of an intense heatwave, urging citizens to prepare for record-breaking temperatures. The health ministry has issued a red alert for 16 cities, including Rome, Bologna, and Florence.
Rome is expecting temperatures to soar to 42-43 degrees Celsius, surpassing the previous record of 40.5 degrees Celsius set in August 2007. However, undeterred by the scorching conditions, tourists have continued to flock to popular attractions.
The north of Italy is also experiencing extreme heat, with temperatures reaching up to 40 degrees. The heatwave has caused the Po River to shrink to its lowest levels in 70 years.
The south of Spain is experiencing the worst of the heat, with temperatures reaching up to 44 degrees Celsius The heatwave has caused wildfires to break out in several parts of the country.
The south of France is experiencing the worst of the heat, with temperatures reaching up to 45 degrees Celsius. The south of Portugal is also experiencing extreme heat, with temperatures reaching up to 43 degrees Celsius and the authorities have issues a red alert for several regions.
Widespread heatwave grips western and southern US
An extreme heatwave has enveloped western and southern states in the United States, affecting over 80 million people. Death Valley, California, was near to a record high of 52 degrees Celsius.
Phoenix, the capital of Arizona, recorded its 17th consecutive day with temperatures exceeding 43 degrees Celsius.
Local residents are struggling to adapt to these prolonged periods of extreme heat.
Extreme weather wreaks havoc in Asia
Since April, Asian countries have been grappling with unprecedented heatwaves, raising concerns about their ability to adapt to the rapidly changing climate.
China, in particular, has faced prolonged periods of scorching temperatures, leading to challenges in power supply and agriculture. Fears are mounting of a repeat of last year's devastating drought, considered the most severe in six decades.
Meanwhile, Japan issued heatstroke alerts in 32 out of its 47 prefectures. As Asia contends with extreme weather, torrential rains have triggered destructive flooding and landslides in South Korea, resulting in the loss of over 40 lives.
What's causing these extreme heatwaves?
The scorching heatwaves engulfing Asia, Europe, and North America can be attributed to a combination of factors, including the following:
Climate change: The Earth's atmosphere is undergoing a warming trend, which is contributing to the intensification of extreme weather events, including heatwaves.
La Nina: La Nina, a climate pattern characterized by cooler-than-average sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean, can result in above-average temperatures in regions such as the western United States and Europe.
El Nino: El Nino is currently in a moderate phase, which means that the Pacific Ocean is slightly warmer than usual. This is causing the jet stream to shift northward, bringing warmer air to North America and Europe. It is also causing the monsoon rains to weaken in Asia, which is leading to more drought conditions.
El Nino is not the only factor causing the extreme heatwaves, it is playing a role. El Nino usually increases global temperatures in the year after it develops. Which means if it develops this year, 2024 is going to be the hottest year ever.
Lack of significant storms: The absence of major storms in recent months has impeded the arrival of cooler air to the affected areas, enabling the heatwaves to persist for prolonged periods.
2024 could be the hottest year ever
A report from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) suggests that 2024 has the potential to become the hottest year on record. Driven by the accumulation of heat-trapping greenhouse gases and the influence of a naturally occurring El Nino event, global temperatures are expected to soar to unprecedented levels in the next five years.
According to the WMO, there is a 66% probability that between 2023 and 2027, the planet will experience a year with an average temperature 1.5 degrees Celsius higher than the mid-19th century baseline.
This threshold of 1.5 degrees Celsius was established in the 2015 Paris climate agreement as a global target for limiting global warming, and nations committed to taking action to prevent surpassing it.