Heatwaves sweep Europe, US; London may touch 40 degrees this summer

India Today

4 hours ago

Western Europe is grappling with an intense heatwave that began in the eastern regions and has now spread to the south and centre. Countries such as Spain and Portugal are witnessing temperatures soaring more than 15 degrees Celsius above normal in some areas. The heat is forecast to shift westward, potentially impacting major nations, including France, Italy, Germany, and the United Kingdom.advertisementOn Thursday, London recorded its hottest day of the year, with the temperature reaching 32.2 degrees Celsius at Heathrow. Forecasts suggest the mercury could climb even higher, raising questions about whether the UK might touch 40 degrees Celsius again this year.UNITED STATES FACES PARALLEL HEAT CRISISAcross the Atlantic, the United States is also reeling from unusually high temperatures for June. Heatwaves have struck parts of the Northwest, including Seattle, as well as states in the Southwest. The National Weather Service has issued heat alerts starting Friday, warning that the hottest temperatures of the season will first hit the Plains and then expand across the Midwest and Great Lakes.
The heat is expected to persist throughout the Ohio Valley and the East Coast well into next week. These conditions are stressing public infrastructure, raising health risks, and drawing attention to the impacts of a warming climate.METEOROLOGICAL CAUSES: OMEGA BLOCKING AND HEAT DOMESadvertisementIn Europe, the intense and prolonged heat is being driven by an Omega-blocking pattern. This occurs when a high-pressure system is flanked by two low-pressure systems, disrupting the usual west-to-east jet stream and causing weather to stagnate.This pattern, established over western and Central Europe, has led to temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius in parts of Iberia, reaching the upper 30s in France, and the mid-30s in Central Europe and the Mediterranean. In the US, heat domes caused by similar high-pressure ridges are trapping warm air across vast regions.OTHER CONTRIBUTING FACTORSSeveral meteorological and oceanic conditions are intensifying the current heatwave. A weakened North Atlantic jet stream is allowing prolonged high-pressure systems over both Europe and the US. In America, the jet stream's northward shift is drawing warm air from the Gulf of Mexico and northern Mexico into central and eastern regions, raising temperatures even in northern states like Minnesota.Additionally, elevated sea surface temperatures around European coastlines are contributing to increased humidity and heat. The Atlantic Ocean has been warmer than usual, echoing conditions observed in June 2023 that led to similar heat extremes.CLIMATE CHANGE AT THE COREBeyond immediate weather patterns, climate change remains the underlying force driving the frequency and severity of heatwaves. Human-induced warming has made such events more common, longer lasting, and more intense. The last ten summers have ranked amongst the fifteen hottest on record in the US.advertisementIn just the past week, global warming is believed to have made extreme heat five times more likely in states like Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona. Cities such as Phoenix and Dallas are experiencing elevated local temperatures due to the urban heat island effect.In Europe, Spain saw temperatures nearing 42 degrees Celsius as early as May 30, highlighting a trend of earlier and more extreme heat events. Climate change is also damaging ecosystems, with NOAA confirming the fourth global coral bleaching event affecting over 83 percent of the world's coral reefs. Melting ice and changing ocean conditions are disrupting marine life and contributing to sea level rise.As both Europe and the US brace for more scorching days ahead, the question remains - will 2025 be remembered as another climate milestone, or a warning still unheeded?Trending Reel