The increasingly common weather pattern responsible for the brutal European heat wave
It's a pattern that's popping up frequently as the planet warms: The influence of Mediterranean marine heat waves has been more pronounced in recent summers, with the ocean heat playing a role in spiking temperatures on land, contributing to deadly floods and stoking devastating fires.
Water temperatures in the Mediterranean Sea are up to 9 degrees above average for this time of year amid a significant marine heat wave. The most intense warming is present in the western Mediterranean, including just south of France.
This is helping to cause high humidity to surge north and to keep temperatures elevated at night across the heat wave-affected regions.
The heat wave, which also involves hot air flowing north from Africa, is also reinforcing the marine heat wave in a feedback cycle.
Temperatures have broken records in Spain and Portugal as swaths of Europe brace for more records to fall through Wednesday as the heat wave intensifies.
The town of El Granado in Spain saw temperatures spike to 46 degrees Celsius (114.8 Fahrenheit) on Sunday, a new national record for June, according to Spain's national meteorological service AEMET. Last month was Spain's hottest June in recorded history, as temperatures 'pulverized records,' Aemet said Tuesday.
In Portugal, a provisional temperature of 46.6 degrees Celsius (115.9 Fahrenheit) was recorded in the city of Mora, about 80 miles east of Lisbon, according to the country's weather service IPMA, which would be a new national record for June.
Scorching heat is sweeping almost the entirety of France. Multiple towns and cities endured temperatures above 100 degrees on Monday, according to provisional recordings from Météo France.
A red heat wave warning, the highest designation, is in place for 16 French départements Tuesday, including Île-de-France, where Paris is located. The Eiffel Tower summit is closed to tourists Tuesday and Wednesday due to the heat.
The United Kingdom is also baking, currently enduring its second heat wave of the summer. Temperatures pushed above 90 degrees on Monday, making for very uncomfortable conditions in a country where fewer than 5% of homes have air conditioning.
'The current June-July heatwave is exposing millions of Europeans to high heat stress,' Samantha Burgess, strategic lead for climate at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasting, said in a statement.
'The temperatures observed recently are more typical of the months of July and August and tend to only happen a few times each summer.'
Wildfires are sweeping several countries as the temperatures spike. Fires broke out Sunday in Aude, in the southwest of the country, burning nearly 400 acres. In Turkey, 50,000 people have been evacuated as firefighters tackle fierce blazes mostly in the western Izmir and Manisa provinces.
Temperature records are also poised to fall Tuesday and Wednesday in Germany as the heat dome expands east, and before a series of relief-providing cold fronts begin to swing into northwestern Europe from the west.
Human-caused climate change is causing heat waves to be more frequent, intense and long-lasting. Europe is the fastest-warming continent, and is warming at twice the rate of the rest of the world. Climate change is also leading to more frequent and intense marine heat waves.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Eiffel Tower's summit closes to visitors as Europe swelters in heatwave
Europe sizzled in its first major heatwave of the summer on Tuesday, as Barcelona recorded its hottest June in more than a century and the summit of Paris' famous Eiffel Tower was closed to visitors. Health warnings remained in effect in several countries. The abnormally hot weather 'is exposing millions of Europeans to high heat stress' with temperatures more typical of July and August, said Samantha Burgess of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts. Barcelona's Fabra Observatory reported an average temperature for last month of 26C, breaking records since the data began in 1914. It said a single-day high of 37.9C for June was recorded on Monday. Barcelona is usually spared the worst heat in Spain, thanks to its location between hills and the Mediterranean. Ramon Pascual, a delegate for Spain's weather service in Barcelona, told the Associated Press the 'very intense heatwave' is clearly linked to global warming. Mr Pascual said inhabitants of the Mediterranean region are not being helped by the rising sea temperatures, which greatly reduce any cooling effects of a nearby body of water. Spain's weather service said recent surface temperatures for the Mediterranean near the Balearic Islands are 5-6C higher than average. Spain's national average for June of 23.6Celsius was 0.8C hotter than the previous hottest June in 2017. Madrid was forecast to reach 39C. Temperatures were forecast to reach 40C in the French capital Paris. National weather agency Meteo-France placed several departments under the highest red alert. More than 1,300 schools were partially or fully closed. Visitors to the Eiffel Tower without tickets were told to postpone their visits as the summit was closed until Thursday for 'everyone's comfort and safety'. Climate experts warn that future summers are likely to be hotter than any recorded to date, with temperatures exceeding 40C expected every year by 2100. Italy's health ministry said 17 of the country's 27 major cities were experiencing a heatwave. In Florence, where temperatures reached 38C on Tuesday, parts of the city centre experienced a blackout following a surge in electricity demand. Back-up systems restored power, energy company Enel said. Near Bologna, the 46-year-old owner of a construction company collapsed and died while repaving a school car park, state-run RAI reported. An autopsy was being conducted but heat was suspected. In the Dutch town of Soest, first responders said they were bringing a fire hose to an evening water gun fight. 'Bring your water pistol and swimming clothes with you, because you're guaranteed to get soaked!' the firefighters said on social media. In Portugal, the weather service in a statement on Monday night confirmed the highest single temperature ever recorded in mainland Portugal for the month of June at 46.6C on June 29 in the town of Mora, west of Lisbon. Firefighters across Turkey tried to contain wildfires that have forced the evacuation of some 50,000 residents for the third consecutive day.
CBS News
5 hours ago
- CBS News
Heat wave shutters Paris' Eiffel Tower as Europe bakes
Barcelona recorded its hottest June in more than a century, the summit of Paris' iconic Eiffel Tower was closed to visitors and hundreds of French schools closed on Tuesday as Europe sizzled in its first major heat wave of the summer. Health warnings remained in effect in several European countries. The worst heat was felt in southern Europe, while punishing temperatures were forecast to reach 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius) in Paris and to remain unusually high in Belgium and the Netherlands. The abnormally hot weather "is exposing millions of Europeans to high heat stress" with temperatures in June more typical of July and August, said Samantha Burgess of the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts. This June is likely to be among the five hottest on record, it said. People cover themselves from the sun with hats or umbrellas due to record temperatures in Barcelona, Spain, on July 1, 2025. The Fabra Observatory reports that June 2025 is the hottest June in more than 100 years in Barcelona, breaking records since 1914. Marc Asensio/NurPhoto via Getty Images Barcelona's Fabra Observatory reported an average temperature for last month of 78.8 F (26 C), breaking records since records were started in 1914. The previous hottest average for June was 78.08 F (25.6 C), set in 2003. The same weather station said a single-day high of 100 F (37.8 C) for June was recorded Monday. Barcelona is usually spared the worst heat in Spain, thanks to its location between hills and the Mediterranean in Spain's northeastern corner. But most of the country has been gripped by the extreme heat. "We are seeing these temperatures because we are experiencing a very intense heat wave that has come early in the summer and that is clearly linked to global warming," Ramón Pascual, a delegate for Spain's weather service in Barcelona, told The Associated Press on Tuesday. Pascual added that the inhabitants of the Mediterranean region are not being helped by the rising sea temperatures, which greatly reduce any cooling effects of a nearby body of water. Spain's weather service said recent surface temperatures for the Mediterranean near the Balearic Islands are between 41-42.8 degrees F (5-6 C) higher than average. "With water surface temperatures from 26-30 C [78-86 F], it is difficult for our nights to be refreshing," he said. Spain's national average for June of 74 F (23.6 C) was 33.4 F (0.8 C) hotter than the previous hottest June in 2017. It was also the first time that June was hotter than the average temperatures for both July and August. Spain also saw a new high mark for June established on Saturday when 114 F (46 C) was recorded in the southern province of Huelva. The streets were also scorching in Spain's capital, with Madrid forecast to reach 102 F (39 C), as people tried to keep cool by drinking refrigerated drinks and sticking to the shade. But the hot nights offered little relief. "Today is very bad, but yesterday wasn't any better. So we're just surviving," said Miguel Sopera, 63. "At night it's impossible due to the terrible heat." France sizzles as Eiffel Tower closes In France, the national weather agency Météo-France placed several departments under the highest red alert, with the Paris region particularly hard hit. More than 1,300 schools in the country were partially or fully closed. Visitors to the Eiffel Tower without tickets were told to postpone their visits as the summit of the city's landmark was closed until Thursday. The operators said the closure was "to ensure everyone's comfort and safety." It's rare for the Eiffel Tower — open 365 days a year and one of the biggest tourist attractions in the world — to close. The tower briefly closed in February 2024 for six days due to a strike. It also closed for about three months in early 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, its longest closure since World War II. Tourists cool off in the Trocadero Fountain, in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, on July 1, 2025, as temperatures in France are expected to hit a peak today, according to the Meteo France weather agency, with some areas expected to soar beyond 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit). DIMITAR DILKOFF/AFP via Getty Images United Kingdom not immune In England, the Met Office said June's mean temperature of 62.4 F (16.9 C) set a new record for that month, while the U.K. as a whole saw its second warmest June since records began in 1884. According to the Met Office, the Wimbledon tennis tournament on Monday recorded its hottest opening day ever at 91.2 F (32.9 C). Italy contends with heat, torrential rain Farther south, 17 of Italy's 27 major cities were experiencing a heat wave, according to the health ministry. There were torrential rains in Italy's north on Monday, and parts of Bardonecchia near Turin were covered in sludge after the Frejus river burst its banks. Near Bologna, one of the cities under a heat alert on Tuesday, the 46-year-old owner of a construction company collapsed and died while repaving a school parking lot, state-run RAI reported. An autopsy was being conducted to determine the cause, but heat was suspected. People walk under a digital sign showing the current temperature of 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in Piazza di Spagna, during an ongoing heatwave with temperatures reaching 40 degrees, on July 1, 2025, in Rome, Italy. Antonio Masiello / Getty Images How other parts of Europe are faring In the Dutch town of Soest, first responders said they were bringing a firehose to an early evening water gun fight. "Bring your water pistol and swimming clothes with you, because you're guaranteed to get soaked!" the firefighters said in an Instagram post. The Portuguese weather service issued a statement Monday night confirming the highest single temperature ever recorded in mainland Portugal for the month of June at 115 F (46.6 C) on June 29 in the town of Mora, west of Lisbon. The prior record was 112 F (44.9 C) in 2017. Firefighters across Turkey tried to contain wildfires that have forced the evacuation of some 50,000 residents for the third consecutive day. Flames and smoke rise from burning trees and bushes while air and land intervention continues against the fire that broke out in the maquis shrubland and spread rapidly due to the wind in Seferihisar district of Izmir, Turkey, on July 1, 2025. Lokman Ilhan/Anadolu via Getty Images Temperatures were expected to reach 98.6 F (37 C) by Wednesday in large parts of the Czech Republic, including the capital. The Prague zoo distributed up to approximately 22,046 pounds, or 10 metric tons, of ice daily across the park, with special attention given to polar bears native to the Arctic. Zoo director Miroslav Bobek said twin brother bears Aleut and Gregor looked pleased when they found parts of their open-air enclosure covered with a thick layer of ice Tuesday morning. They rolled on their backs and discovered frozen pieces of squid.
CBS News
6 hours ago
- CBS News
Riverside County Wolf Fire evacuations still in place; Lake and Juniper fire orders lifted
As temperatures rose and conditions dried over the weekend, residents of Southern California received a swift reminder of fire season as at least seven fires broke out across the Southland, according to Cal Fire. The fires were mostly split between Riverside and San Bernardino counties, burning thousands of acres and forcing evacuations. As of Tuesday afternoon, just the Wolf Fire in Riverside County still had mandatory evacuations in place. Three of the seven were still at 50% or less containment and burned more than 20 acres as of Tuesday. Wolf Fire Located near Banning, the Wolf Fire has burned about 2,414 acres since it started on Sunday afternoon. As of Tuesday, containment was at 30%. Cal Fire said crews were attacking the blaze aggressively from the air and ground. "Steep, rugged terrain, high temperatures and wind remain challenging factors for firefighters," Cal Fire said in a post to X. "Cooler temperatures [Tuesday night], with higher humidity will assist firefighters in constructing and strengthening containment lines." Evacuation orders remained in place in the immediate area. An evacuation map can be found here. According to Cal Fire, three firefighters have been injured while battling the blaze. Juniper Fire The Juniper Fire in Riverside Fire quickly ignited and ballooned up to nearly 700 acres on Monday afternoon. A rapid response by crews to the blaze, which was located in unincorporated Perris, managed to slow the spread. Evacuation orders were issued by 3 p.m. but were rescinded by 9 p.m., Cal Fire said. Containment was at 30% as of Tuesday, as crews continue to strengthen containment lines. Lake Fire San Bernardino County's Lake Fire burned just south of Hesperia in the foothills of the San Bernardino Mountains starting Saturday afternoon. Evacuation orders were issued quickly and were retracted by Sunday afternoon. As of Tuesday, the blaze covers 483 acres according to Cal Fire, although forward progress has been stopped. It's currently at 50% containment.
