Heat Wave Threatens European Crops and Power Systems
A heat wave will bake western Europe in conditions as much as 10C above the norm in the coming days, threatening harvests, stressing power systems and triggering health alerts.
The region around Seville in southern Spain is forecast to reach 42C (107.6F) through the weekend. The French Mediterranean coast will test 40C on Saturday, with similar temperatures expected in southern Italy and Sardinia. Highs in London could touch 35C on Monday. Some areas won't cool below 25C overnight, increasing health risks.
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Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Forecasters predict heatwave for parts of UK with temperatures to hit 30C
Temperatures are set to soar over the coming days with a heatwave that could bring a 'possibility' that Britain could see its hottest June day. The heat is building and the humidity is rising for many places but not for everyone this weekend, according to the Met Office. The majority of the UK could see figures of about 25C while London and the South East could be set for 26-28C – but Monday is when the top temperatures are likely to reach 33-34C. The June record stands at 35.6C, recorded both at Southampton Mayflower Park on June 28 1976 and at Camden Square, north London, on June 29 1957. Met Office spokesman Graham Madge said: 'There is a chance that we could meet or exceed that threshold set in 1976 and 1957.' 'It is around a 20 per cent chance we could see weather observing stations exceed that – it is possible, not probable. 'Temperature models have been edging up slowly and we do believe that the temperatures will be the hottest on Monday in this heatwave period.' He added that it is 'most likely be an isolated temperature somewhere in the South East, London or maybe Cambridge.' A second amber heat health alert in two weeks is set to come into force on Friday. The alert, which covers London, the East Midlands, South East, South West and East of England, starts at midday on Friday and will last until 6pm on Tuesday. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) also issued a yellow alert for Yorkshire and Humber and the West Midlands for the same time period, with the agency warning of significant impacts across health and social care services. With an Amber Heat Health alert declared for the East Midlands, South East, South West, East of England and London, it's worth watching out for those who might find it difficult to cope with high temperatures. ☀️ 🌡️ Check our blog post for handy tips: — UK Health Security Agency (@UKHSA) June 27, 2025 It comes as temperatures could reach 28C on Friday in central and southern England, before rising to 30C on Saturday, then a potential 31C on Sunday, before peaking between 32C and 34C on Monday, the Met Office said. An amber alert was previously issued for all regions in England on June 19, the first time it had been used since September 2023. On the same day, temperatures reached 32.2C in Kew, west London, before heatwaves were declared across England and Wales. An official heatwave is recorded when areas reach a certain temperature for three consecutive days, with thresholds varying from 25C to 28C in different parts of the UK. Dr Agostinho Sousa, head of extreme events and health protection at the UKHSA, said: 'Our findings show that heat, especially at the sort of temperatures we are likely to see at the beginning of next week, can result in serious health outcomes across the population, especially for older adults or those with pre-existing health conditions. 'It is, therefore, important to check on friends, family and neighbours who are more vulnerable and to take sensible precautions while enjoying the sun.' The Met Office said that south-westerly winds on Friday look set to draw warmer and more humid air across large parts of England which is 'setting the stage for a notably warm weekend'. The forecaster added: 'Cloud and outbreaks of rain are expected to limit the warmth across northern and some western parts, the East and South East are likely to see drier conditions and prolonged sunshine, allowing temperatures to exceed 27C from Friday onwards. 'Southern coasts may stay cooler due to onshore breezes, low cloud or coastal mist. Temperatures are forecast to rise further on Saturday and Sunday, likely peaking on Monday. 'There remains a good chance of exceeding the medium threshold, especially across east and south-east England where a peak value of 33-34C could be observed – 30C could also be reached in parts of the West (Midlands) and East Midlands and the South West.' With minimum temperatures of 16C, there will also be some warm and humid nights ahead. Sun screen will be needed for anyone who goes out in the sun as UV levels are going to be high and hay fever suffers will have to deal with high grass pollen levels. Thunderstorms are also possible across central parts on Monday before slightly fresher conditions are expected to arrive on Tuesday.
Washington Post
2 hours ago
- Washington Post
Another surge of heat is coming. Here's where the worst will be.
For millions of people across the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, Friday will bring a welcome reprieve from extreme heat. After a record-tying four consecutive days with temperatures at or above 95 degrees around D.C., temperatures are forecast to only reach the lower 80s. But the break from the heat won't last long.
Fast Company
3 hours ago
- Fast Company
What is ‘precipitation whiplash'? The new accelerating, climate change weather danger
In recent decades, California residents have experienced a 'whiplash' of weather conditions. After a few years of severe drought, heavy rains came in early 2023 that soaked the state for weeks. That rain led to mudslides, which were worsened by the fact that years of drought had dried out the soil, so it couldn't absorb the rainfall. That rain also then led to an explosion of vegetation growth, which would dry out when the next drought period hit and fuel devastating wildfires. This rapid transition between wet and dry weather conditions is a hallmark of climate change, and it's also an accelerating climate threat. This phenomenon is called 'precipitation whiplashes,' and the forces that bring these drastic swings between drought and floods are speeding up. In a recent study, researchers say we could see an increase in precipitation whiplashes as early as 2028. What causes precipitation whiplashes? Weather systems are constantly swirling around our planet, like the Arctic polar vortex, a swath of cold, low-pressure air that sits at our planet's poles; or the El Niño-Southern Oscillation, a cyclical climate pattern that brings a change in winds and sea surface temperatures. Another one of these weather systems is called the Madden-Julian Oscillation, or MJO. It's a mass of clouds, rainfall, winds, and air pressure that passes over the tropics, moving eastwardly around the planet. Though it's above the tropics (and can bring events like tropical cyclones), it impacts weather around the world, including global rainfall patterns, atmospheric rivers, and more. The MJO circles the planet in periods of 30 to 90 days, and it includes two phases: a period of enhanced rainfall, and then a period of suppressed rainfall. But warming from greenhouse gases is speeding that cycle up, research has already found. In a new study from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and published in the journal Nature Communications, researchers used advanced climate models to look more closely at how rising greenhouse gasses could exactly change the MJO's behavior. Those models predicted a 40% increase in 'fast-propagating MJO events' by the late 21st century, from 2064 to 2099, compared to historical data (1979–2014). But we'll start to see that frequency pick up as early as 2028, the researchers note. They also expect not only for this weather system to move faster, but for there to be an increased risk of 'jumping' MJOs—meaning an abrupt shift in the phases between precipitation—beginning before 2030, too. Why precipitation whiplash can be so dangerous 'More frequent fast and jumping MJO events are expected to trigger disruptive weather fluctuations worldwide,' the researchers write—like precipitation whiplash: rapid swings between really wet and really dry extremes. Researchers expect the precipitation impacts of these accelerated and jumping MJO events to be 'unprecedentedly severe.' Around the world, a few areas are expected to be hotspots for precipitation whiplash including central Africa, the Middle East, the lower part of the Yangtze River basin in China, the northern Amazon rainforest, the East Coast of the continental United States, and coastal Argentina, to name a few. These hotspots 'can result in various forms of cascading hazards,' the researchers write, 'that pose unprecedented stress to ecosystem services, existing infrastructure, water and food security, and human safety.' Those cascading hazards include events like what California has already witnessed: drought to rain to mudslides to vegetation growth to drought to wildfires. And as MJO events accelerate because of climate change, that will also 'significantly shorten response times against compound hazards,' study author Cheng Tat-Fan says in a statement, 'catching societies off guard unless adaptation measures are in place.' The impacts of precipitation whiplash, then, should be considered when it comes to future infrastructure, urban planning, and agricultural practices, the researchers say. Fortunately, these 'fast-propagating' MJOs can be a bit more predictable. But still, researchers need to improve their forecast models to better understand this weather behavior. If they do, and if they could then forecast these extremes four to five weeks in advance, that could improve disaster preparedness and save lives.
