Europe Finally Embraces Air Conditioning as Heat Waves Hit Hard
Once seen as an American excess or Mediterranean necessity, air conditioning is becoming a fixture of life in places where it was long considered a luxury or even unwelcome. The shift reflects a new climate reality: Extreme heat is no longer rare across much of Europe. It's increasingly the new norm.
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CBS News
2 hours ago
- CBS News
Isolated showers possible Friday in Philadelphia area; hot, dry weekend ahead. Here's the weather forecast.
On Friday we'll dry out a bit in the Philadelphia area, although a random shower or two during the afternoon and evening is possible. No severe weather is expected, but a rumble of thunder isn't out of the question, so be on the lookout if you'll be spending any time outside Friday afternoon and early evening. The weekend will dry out, and temps will remain near 90 degrees. If you are someone who enjoys the hot, dry summer days, then we encourage you to make your plans and soak in these conditions. Labor Day weekend is only two weeks away, meaning weekends like the one upcoming will be few and far between from here on out. Of course, fall is right around the corner, and that's awesome, but it's not the best for enjoying the pool, water parks, beaches, etc. Sunday may be the hottest day with temps in the mid to low-90s, but there's no sign of any extended streaks of extreme heat. Your NEXT Weather team continues to closely monitor Tropical Storm Erin, currently with sustained winds of 70 mph and heading west at 17 mph. It's moved much closer to the Windward Islands, now only about 700 miles away. Forecast models continue the westerly track toward the Caribbean and Gulf but eventually have it shifting north toward the Bahamas. The storm is still forecast to become a major hurricane by the weekend with the path shifting north toward Bermuda. It should continue be watched very closely as it is likely to become a major hurricane with the potential to reach Category 4 strength. This will likely cause rough surf and riptide dangers along the Jersey Shore and Delaware beaches come mid to late next week. Your NEXT Weather team will continue to update you as we get more information Friday: Sun, p.m. shower? High 89, Low 74 Saturday: Mostly sunny. High 88, Low 71 Sunday: Mostly sunny. High 91, Low 71 Monday: Some sun, T-storm chance. High 88, Low 73 Tuesday: Mostly sunny. High 81, Low 67 Wednesday: Partly cloudy. High 82, Low 68 Thursday: Partly cloudy. High 82, Low 69 NEXT Weather Radars Hourly Forecast
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Parts of England to hit 30C as fire crews travel across country to battle blaze
Parts of England will swelter through temperatures of up to 30C on Friday as firefighters grapple with a lack of resources amid the heatwave. The Met Office forecast patchy cloud across the north with some light rain and the odd shower in Scotland. Despite this, temperatures will remain warm, particularly across England and Wales. In London, highs of 30C are predicted, while Cardiff will only be slightly cooler at 29C. Further north, Belfast and Edinburgh are expected to be a little milder, with temperatures reaching 22C and 24C respectively. As the heat concentrates across southern and southwestern England, temperatures will climb to 29C in Cambridge and Salisbury, while central areas like Nottingham are also expected to see highs of 28C. It comes as firefighters travelled across the UK to help tackle the major wildfire at Holt Heath, Dorset, fuelling calls for increased firefighting resources. Ben Selby, Fire Brigades Union assistant general secretary said services had undergone '14 years of austerity'. 'The loss of 1 in 5 firefighter posts to cuts, with fire engines taken off the run and fire stations closed up and down the country, means that there is no resilience left,' he said. 'Wildfires are intensive incidents, requiring a large number of firefighters and specialist resources. They are becoming increasingly severe and frequent as a result of the climate emergency.' Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue estimated the blaze had burned through 72ha and would remain on the scene overnight. 'Crews are still working in three sectors dealing with an increase in flare-ups, hotspots and deep-seated fires identified using drones,' the statement read. 'This is due to the weather conditions.' Crews travelled from Merseyside, South Wales, Greater Manchester, Leicestershire, Surrey, Lincolnshire, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, Avon, Essex and Kent among others, to assist local emergency services. Heat health alerts were extended into next week for much of England. Officials have said the country is suffering from 'nationally significant' water shortfalls. The national drought group, which includes the Met Office, regulators, government, water companies and other organisations, has met as five areas of the country remain in drought, with six more in prolonged dry weather status. The UK Health Security Agency said yellow warnings will remain in place for Yorkshire and Humber, the East and West Midlands, London and the South East, South West and east of England until 6pm on August 18. The weekend should be dry and sunny for most parts of the UK, with the mercury forecast to hover around 30C on Saturday and 29C on Sunday in south-west England.
Bloomberg
9 hours ago
- Bloomberg
Heatwaves and Jellyfish Are Causing the Grid to Wilt
It's not just people who struggle to perform effectively when the temperature starts to soar. The electricity system we depend on to keep us cool is having the same problem. A swarm of jellyfish linked to unusually warm waters in northern Europe caused French utility Electricite de France SA to shut two nuclear power stations this week, after the invertebrates clogged up parts of their cooling systems. Other reactors in the country may have to cut output because temperatures in the Rhône and Garonne rivers are too high. In Iraq, supply to most of the country went down on Monday as millions of Shiite pilgrims descended on the city of Karbala for the Arba'in festival, spiking grid demand for fans and air conditioners as the mercury rose above 40 Celsius (104 Fahrenheit).
