The European seaside with waters as hot as hot tubs following 'marine heatwave'
Sea temperatures globally have been so high recently and July was the third-warmest on record, according to Mercator Ocean International.
The non-profit organisation is part of the EU's Copernicus Marine Service and monitors the conditions of the ocean, while also providing forecasts.
Analysis by the institute found around the world sea temperatures reached an average of 20.80°C.
This was just lower than 2024's temperatures, at 20.91°C and 2023 which averaged 20.93°C.
Around 71% of the global ocean experienced above-average temperatures.
The Mediterranean Sea saw record-breaking warmth last month.
It reached an 'unprecedented' temperature of 26.68°C, beating the previous high of 26.65°C in 2023.
Mercator Ocean International, a non-profit organisation is part of the EU's Copernicus Marine Service and monitors the conditions of the ocean, has revealed the high temperatures
According to Monaco Life, areas of the western Mediterranean, including Spain, as well as the central basin close to Italy have seen soaring temperatures.
The European destinations have reportedly seen sea surface temperatures breaching 30°C.
'Strong or higher category marine heatwaves' hit 68% of the Mediterranean Sea in July, according to Mercator Ocean International.
This made it the second widest coverage on record for such intense conditions.
While 95% of the Mediterranean experienced above-average temperatures overall.
There were other temperature spikes too, with 63% of the basin exceeding the long-term average by at least 1°C.
Meanwhile 40% of the basin saw the heat exceed by at least 2°C.
Mercator Ocean International revealed how the western Mediterranean was the worst hit.
There have been been plenty of on-land heatwaves too recently.
Temperature records were recently broken in at least four weather stations in southern France.
The southwestern city of Bordeaux hit a record 41.6C while all-time records were also broken at meteorological stations in Bergerac, Cognac and Saint Girons, according to the national weather service, Meteo France.
The heatwave, the country's second this summer, began last Friday and was forecast to last possibly until August 19 or 20.
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BBC News
7 hours ago
- BBC News
Alongside the heatwave, are we seeing an early autumn in the UK?
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"It's 38-39C in here," she says, pointing to a red peppers, courgettes and lots of tomatoes have all thrived in the above-average temperatures and extra sunshine the same time, classic autumn fruits like blackberries and apples - normally ready in September - are hanging off the are still gathering data about whether this is record-breaking. Blackberries were seen in London on 22 June, according to the Woodland Trust. By contrast the earliest in 2024 was 4 July in Southampton - but scientists need more information to be certain about the long-term Wanda in Cardiff, this has meant more food to take home for dinner, but it's harder work than usual for her to water her plants. "In a normal year I'd come every three days, but this year it's every day. If I don't, the plants will die," she across the UK have, too, seen early harvests with some crops struggling in the heat, prompting concerns about food month, the Environment Agency said North West England, Yorkshire, the East Midlands and West Midlands were in drought. Parts of Wales, including the Cardiff area, have had the driest six months since 1976 and are in drought as well. The UK has had 71% of the average rainfall for the season so far when it should be 79% by this date, according to the Met Office. And we've had 89% of the average sunshine hours for summer. The Met Office says we would expect 79% by this change is affecting the timings of biological events including spring and autumn, according to the Met Office, although the level of change varies the Botanical Garden of Wales in Carmarthenshire, Luke Cheesman is having to work harder than usual to keep the garden healthy and attractive for seen signs of stress like tree leaves turning yellow and falling, and branches drooping - so alongside extra water, he's mulching trees adds organic material is added on top of the soil to keep it moist. He says this is good advice for those with plants or trees suffering at home. "We've had three almost back-to-back heatwaves. It's not giving the trees much chance to recover," he a similar story at Kew Gardens in London, where head of tree collections Kevin Walker says the last drought in 2022 killed nearly 460 of his trees - and he's seeing the same stress oaks are losing leaves on the canopy and producing deadwood, he says, and Norway Maple and magnolias are showing signs of stress. "They're throwing their leaves, and will try and sit it out till next year," he says, while "summer branch drop" - where trees try to save energy by losing branches - is also happening which can be dangerous to people nearby."It's a live fast, die young strategy. That may work for a one in 10 year event. But instead of a drought or stress period being a one-in-10 year event, it's becoming a one in every two or three years," he says. But does it matter if autumn conditions come early? The Wildlife Trusts says this is a sign of "nature shutting down" and that it is likely to have impacts into the winter and next year."Some things are not dying, but they're not thriving, they're not growing, they're not photosynthesizing. They're going into survival mode," says Kathryn Brown, director of climate change and evidence at the Wildlife Trusts."The overriding thing is it's making everything much more chaotic for wildlife," she which feed badgers and hedgehogs, are living inside rock hard and dry soil, meaning the animals could struggle to dig to find them and may have to travel further for will look for fruits like blackberries to "sustain them through the autumn and winter," she says. But where the crop comes early, the birds could go are also showing signs of shutting down for the winter, after flowering plants finished producing pollen and nectar in the hot weather. That could leave bees without enough will take time to work out the role of climate change in the heatwaves this year but scientists are clear that it will have boosted the heat."I'm very worried about what we're seeing already, and this is just a point that we're passing through on the way to much more extreme conditions," says Kathryn."Species have evolved to exist in a seasonal cycle. If that cycle is breaking down, those species will break down as well. We know it's a real risk we'll lose huge chunks of nature due to climate impacts."
The Sun
14 hours ago
- The Sun
Saharan dust cloud & Spain wildfire smoke blanket UK in Met Office satellite map – as temps to hit 30C this weekend
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The Sun
14 hours ago
- The Sun
Forget the hot weather – 3 essential Lidl buys you need to grab this weekend ahead of winter to save on energy bills
LIDL has launched three essential bargains you can use around the home to cut down on energy bills. The must-have items are available in the budget store from tomorrow, August 14, so whilst you're still in summer-mode, it's time to stock up when you're doing your next shop. Hot weather may have returned to the UK, but make no mistake – winter is on its way. And in many homes and families, that means the familiar tussle over how high to turn up the heating, how to get rid of condensation building up on your windows, and how to combat bathroom mould. Condensation-buster First up is the Wenko Grey Bathroom Squeegee, which will land in stores tomorrow. It is a handy gadget that removes water from all smooth surfaces in the bathroom and shower. But more importantly, it removes condensation from wet windows in seconds. Condensation on windows occurs when warm, moist air inside a house comes into contact with a cold window surface, causing water vapour to turn into liquid droplets. This is exceptionally common in the UK, especially during the colder months. According to Zehnder UK, 73% of adults in the UK experience condensation on their windows in winter. As for how condensation can impact your energy bills - it indicates a loss of heat and reduced insulation efficiently, forcing your heating system to work harder to keep the space warm. Persistent condensation can also lead to other issues, such as mould growing, window frame damage or rot, and damp on walls. Luckily, Lidl's squeegee comes in an extra large size with a 31.8cm rubber lip and costs just £3.99. To use it for condensation on windows, simply wake up, open your curtains, run the squeegee down the window, and have an old towel at the base of the window to collect the water droplets. Then crack open your window to make sure the area completely dries for a few minutes. Mould-preventer Another great item Lidl is offering in stores tomorrow is the Auriol Black Thermometer and Hygrometer units, which come in packs of three. These handy gadgets monitor the indoor climate and prevent mould, which can be expensive to remove. The average cost of removing mould from a single, large room is £220 to £280. However, to have the mould removed from an entire property would likely set you back between £725 and £1,100. The hygrometer measures indoor humidity and includes a comfort level display, allowing users to adjust the room temperature and save on energy bills. Lidl is selling a £2.99 product beauty fans are racing to nab - you don't have to wear foundation AND it contains SPF50 They can be wall mounted or free-standing and also come with a magnetic attachment and foldable stand. Batteries and instructions are included, as is a three-year warranty. And a pack of three of these essential items costs just £4.99. Purify the air The final Lidl bargain we're highlighting this week to help you save money on energy bills is both practical and pleasing on the eye. Air purifying plants do exactly what they say on the tin – purify the air. This can contribute to energy savings by improving indoor air quality, which can reduce the need for heating and cooling. As mentioned above, paying a firm to remove mould can be expensive but even a DIY job can cost a lot as expensive and specialist cleaning products are often required. This can include items such as £20 for chlorine bleach, brushes for £15 and eye protection glasses, which cost up to £10 each. How to compare prices to get the best deal Just because something is on offer, or is part of a sale, it doesn't mean it's always a good deal. There are plenty of comparison websites out there that'll check prices for you - so don't be left paying more than you have to. Most of them work by comparing the prices across hundreds of retailers. Here are some that we recommend: Google Shopping is a tool that lets users search for and compare prices for products across the web. Simply type in keywords, or a product number, to bring up search results. Price Spy logs the history of how much something costs from over 3,000 different retailers, including Argos, Amazon, eBay and the supermarkets. Once you select an individual product you can quickly compare which stores have the best price and which have it in stock. Idealo is another website that lets you compare prices between retailers. All shoppers need to do is search for the item they need and the website will rank them from the cheapest to the most expensive one. CamelCamelCamel only works on goods being sold on Amazon. To use it, type in the URL of the product you want to check the price of. Purifying the air not only protects the property from damage but also significantly reduces respiratory health risks. From tomorrow, the budget store will be offering a selection of the plants from just £3.99 each. The plants come in 12cm pots and range in height from 12cm to 35cm. Stock on these essential bargains may vary depending on your local branch so it's worth giving them a quick call before making the trip.
