Latest news with #ClareNullis
Tokyo Weekender
a day ago
- Climate
- Tokyo Weekender
Japan Endures Hottest June on Record
On Tuesday, the country's weather agency revealed that Japan experienced its hottest June on record. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), the nationwide average temperature was 2.34 degrees Celsius above normal , based on figures recorded between 1991 and 2020. It was also close to 1 degree Celsius warmer than the previous record set five years ago. More than 200 weather stations recorded temperatures exceeding 35 degrees Celsius from the start of May to mid-June. The most intense temperatures last month were recorded between June 16 and June 18. The average temperature 1,500 meters above sea level during that period was the highest since 1950 at 17.2 degrees Celsius. Much of Japan was still in the rainy season at the time. The agency said the severe heat is expected to continue throughout July. List of Contents: Unusual Heat Waves in Europe Expect 'Even Worse' in the Future Related Posts Unusual Heat Waves in Europe In the past few days, many countries in the N orthern H emisphere have experienced unusual heat waves. On Saturday, Spain's national weather service confirmed a record 46 degrees Celsius reading in the southern town of El Granado in the Andalucían province of Huelva. The country's highest temperature previously recorded for the month was 45.2 degrees Celsius in Seville 60 years ago. The following day, Mora, a city around 60 miles east of Lisbon, registered a reading of 46.6 degrees Celsius, a record for mainland Portugal. In France, meanwhile, heat warnings covered almost the entire mainland for the first time ever. By lunchtime on Tuesday, close to 2,000 schools and colleges had decided to close. 'Extreme heat is no longer a rare event — it has become the new normal,' said UN Secretary General António Guterres. Expect 'Even Worse' in the Future The world will simply have to get used to these extreme conditions. That is the message from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). 'As a result of human-induced climate change, extreme heat is becoming more frequent, more intense. It's something we have to learn to live with,' said WMO spokesperson Clare Nullis on Tuesday. She added: 'What can we expect in the future? More of the same, even worse.' Related Posts Brace Yourself: Tokyo Hits 30 Degrees for the First Time in 2025 5 Japanese Products To Save You From The Summer Heat Heat Waves Force Japan's Beloved Summer Festivals To Change Seasons
News24
a day ago
- Climate
- News24
World will have to learn to live with heatwaves
The world will have to learn to live with heatwaves, the United Nations' weather and climate agency said Tuesday, as much of Europe roasted in high summer temperatures. The World Meteorological Organization said that in future, people could expect heatwaves to occur more often and be more intense because of human-induced climate change. WMO spokeswoman Clare Nullis said July was traditionally the hottest month of the year in the northern hemisphere, but it was exceptional, though not unprecedented, to have episodes of extreme heat this early in the summer. She said extreme heat was "widely called the silent killer", with the death toll often under-reflected in official statistics, compared to, for example, a tropical cyclone. "It's important to stress that every single death from heat is unnecessary: we have the knowledge, we have the tools; we can save lives," she added. Western Europe is sweltering under the influence of a strong high pressure system, Nullis told a press briefing in Geneva. "This is trapping hot air from northern Africa over the region, and as we can see it's having a pretty big impact on the way we feel and the way we are acting," she said. A major factor in the heatwave is the exceptional sea surface temperatures in the Mediterranean. "It's the equivalent of a land heatwave. The Mediterranean Sea is suffering a pretty extreme marine heatwave right now, and that tends to reinforce the extreme temperatures over land areas," Nullis said. She said the urban heat island effect was exaggerating the situation in cities, with a lack of greenery to absorb the heat and concrete surfaces reflecting it. The WMO said early warnings and coordinated action plans were crucial to protect public safety, and meteorologists were getting better at both. "As a result of human-induced climate change, extreme heat is becoming more frequent, more intense. It's something we have to learn to live with," Nullis said. She added: "What can we expect in the future? More of the same, even worse."
The Wire
a day ago
- Climate
- The Wire
After Brutal Heatwave, Europe Awaits Rain Relief
After days of record-breaking heatwaves across Europe, relief will start to arrive from the Atlantic on Wednesday, bringing thunderstorms and cooler temperatures to parts of western Europe. Paris hit 40° Celsius (104° Fahrenheit) on Tuesday, but the high will drop to 35°C on Wednesday and to 28°C on Thursday, Meteo-France forecast. "Our latest forecasts confirm the arrival of cooling from the west on Wednesday, which will quickly affect the northwest of the country," Meteo-France said, adding that there could be heavy thunderstorms late Wednesday and Thursday in the east along the German border. Germany's national weather service is forecasting a peak of 40°C on Wednesday in the economic capital Frankfurt, but that will plummet to 27°C by Thursday. Spain and Italy, meanwhile, may have to wait for the weekend to see some limited relief. On Tuesday, around 2,200 schools were shut in France because of the heat, but only about 135 are expected to be kept closed Wednesday, the education ministry said. Meteo-France said June 30 was the hottest June day since measurements began in 1947, beating out a record set in 2019. Similar records were set Tuesday in Portugal and the Netherlands. "For the continent as a whole, the month is likely to be ranked among the top 5 warmest Junes on record," said the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts. On Sunday, in a case of two extremes, the Mediterranean Sea hit a record-high temperature for June while Mont Blanc, the highest peak in Europe, went above freezing, a rarity for this time of year. In Turkey, forest fires that broke out over the weekend around Izmir in the west and Hatay in the south were largely brought under control, authorities said Tuesday evening, though they warned about continued risks from dry, hot winds. 'Silent killer' Tens of thousands of people have died in Europe during past heatwaves, prompting authorities to issue warnings for old and young, the sick, and others vulnerable to what experts call a "silent killer". On Tuesday, police in Spain said a two-year-old died in the country's northeast after being left in a car in the sun for several hours. "Due to climate change caused by humans, extreme heat is becoming more frequent and intense. This is something we must learn to live with," said Clare Nullis, spokesperson for the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), a UN agency based in Geneva. Extreme heat can cause dehydration, muscle cramps, headaches and nausea. The most serious risk is heatstroke, which can lead to death, especially in vulnerable people. Free guided tours of air-conditioned museums in Venice and free access to swimming pools in Rome were offered to protect seniors. According to a report by Allianz Trade on Tuesday, the European economy could lose 0.5 percentage points of growth this year due to recent heatwaves. The health impact will take longer to assess. According to France's Ministry of Health, an initial estimate of excess mortality during the period will be available approximately two weeks after the end of the heatwave, but detailed data based on medical data will not be available until the fall. The Wire is now on WhatsApp. Follow our channel for sharp analysis and opinions on the latest developments.
The Sun
a day ago
- Climate
- The Sun
Europe heatwave relief as cooler Atlantic air arrives
PARIS: After days of record-breaking heatwaves across Europe, relief will start to arrive from the Atlantic on Wednesday, bringing thunderstorms and cooler temperatures to parts of western Europe. Paris hit 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) on Tuesday, but the high will drop to 35C on Wednesday and to 28C on Thursday, Meteo-France forecast. 'Our latest forecasts confirm the arrival of cooling from the west on Wednesday, which will quickly affect the northwest of the country,' Meteo-France said, adding that there could be heavy thunderstorms late Wednesday and Thursday in the east along the German border. Germany's national weather service is forecasting a peak of 40C on Wednesday in the economic capital Frankfurt, but that will plummet to 27C by Thursday. Spain and Italy, meanwhile, may have to wait for the weekend to see some limited relief. On Tuesday, around 2,200 schools were shut in France because of the heat, but only about 135 are expected to be kept closed Wednesday, the education ministry said. Meteo-France said June 30 was the hottest June day since measurements began in 1947, beating out a record set in 2019. Similar records were set Tuesday in Portugal and the Netherlands. 'For the continent as a whole, the month is likely to be ranked among the top 5 warmest Junes on record,' said the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts. On Sunday, in a case of two extremes, the Mediterranean Sea hit a record-high temperature for June while Mont Blanc, the highest peak in Europe, went above freezing, a rarity for this time of year. In Turkey, forest fires that broke out over the weekend around Izmir in the west and Hatay in the south were largely brought under control, authorities said Tuesday evening, though they warned about continued risks from dry, hot winds. - 'Silent killer' - Tens of thousands of people have died in Europe during past heatwaves, prompting authorities to issue warnings for old and young, the sick, and others vulnerable to what experts call a 'silent killer'. On Tuesday, police in Spain said a two-year-old died in the country's northeast after being left in a car in the sun for several hours. 'Due to climate change caused by humans, extreme heat is becoming more frequent and intense. This is something we must learn to live with,' said Clare Nullis, spokesperson for the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), a UN agency based in Geneva. Extreme heat can cause dehydration, muscle cramps, headaches and nausea. The most serious risk is heatstroke, which can lead to death, especially in vulnerable people. Free guided tours of air-conditioned museums in Venice and free access to swimming pools in Rome were offered to protect seniors. According to a report by Allianz Trade on Tuesday, the European economy could lose 0.5 percentage points of growth this year due to recent heatwaves. The health impact will take longer to assess. According to France's Ministry of Health, an initial estimate of excess mortality during the period will be available approximately two weeks after the end of the heatwave, but detailed data based on medical data will not be available until the fall.
Local Germany
a day ago
- Climate
- Local Germany
Today in Germany: A roundup of the latest news of Wednesday
Wednesday's top story: Relief coming for Europe after brutal heatwave After days of record-breaking heatwaves across Europe, relief will start to arrive from the Atlantic on Wednesday, bringing thunderstorms and cooler temperatures to parts of western Europe. Germany's national weather service is forecasting a peak of 40C on Wednesday in the economic capital Frankfurt, but that will plummet to 27C by Thursday. High temperatures are also expected to peak in Berlin by Wednesday afternoon at around 39C. "For the continent as a whole, the month is likely to be ranked among the top 5 warmest Junes on record," said the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts. Advertisement "Due to climate change caused by humans, extreme heat is becoming more frequent and intense. This is something we must learn to live with," said Clare Nullis, spokesperson for the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), a UN agency based in Geneva. A hooded crow freshens up in a fountain in Berlin on June 26, 2025, as temperatures hist 30 degrees Celsius in the German capital. (Photo by John MACDOUGALL / AFP) Extreme heat can cause dehydration, muscle cramps, headaches and nausea. The most serious risk is heatstroke, which can lead to death, especially in vulnerable people. READ ALSO: The official German advice for how to stay safe in a heatwave The all-time heat record for Germany was measured on July 25, 2019 and was 41.2C at the DWD weather stations Tönisvorst and Duisburg-Baerl (both in North Rhine-Westphalia). Number of sick days due to heat on the rise The number of sick days due to the effects of heat is rising. In 2023, it stood at around 92,700 – or twelve percent more than the previous high in 2018, according to data from the Ministry of Social Affairs. The figures include days lost due to heatstroke, sunstroke, and heat exhaustion - and fluctuate from year to year depending on the weather conditions. In 2021, for example, there were just under 32,400 days lost due to heat, compared to around 71,200 the following year. Overall, however, the curve has been rising since 2015. READ ALSO: Heatwave rules - Who decides when it's too hot for school in Germany? According to the figures, men are affected by heat in the workplace much more than women. In 2023, men had 63,145 days of absence due to heat. For women, the figure was less than half that, at 29,577. The disparity is partly explained by the fact that men are more likely to work in physically demanding outdoor jobs, such as road or housing construction. The Green Party parliamentary group is proposing time off work for employees during hot weather. A draft resolution by the party's executive committee states: 'We want employers to be required to take measures to protect the health of their employees when temperatures at the workplace reach 26 degrees Celsius.' Rail traffic disrupted in northern Germany Long-distance rail services in northern Germany were disrupted on Tuesday because of multiple embankment fires and a bomb disposal operation near Osnabrück Central Station. According to Deutsche Bahn, the embankment fires were in the Hamburg, Lower Saxony, and Saxony-Anhalt areas and caused delays on routes between Berlin and the Ruhr area/Hanover as well as between Hamburg and Berlin. Advertisement Property prices in Germany rise again Residential property prices in Germany rose again in the first quarter of 2025. From January to March, they increased by an average of 3.8 percent compared to the same period last year, according to Germany's Statistical Office. This represents the largest increase since the third quarter of 2022 and the second increase in a row. From the end of 2022 onwards, real estate prices had fallen across the board due to higher interest rates and material costs. The trend didn't reverse until the final quarter of 2024, with an initial increase of 1.9 percent. German performance by rap group Bob Vylan cancelled A German music venue said Tuesday that a planned performance by rap duo Bob Vylan would not take place after its frontman led an anti-Israel chant at the Glastonbury festival. London-based Bob Vylan, who often tackle racism in their tracks, were slammed by international and British politicians after they led the crowds in chants of "Death to the IDF" -- the Israeli military. Bobby Vylan of British duo Bob Vylan crowd surfing while performing on the West Holts Stage on the fourth day of the Glastonbury festival in south-west England, on June 28, 2025. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP) The group are due to support the band Gogol Bordello on a European tour this autumn but the venue in Cologne, the Live Music Hall, said in a post on its Instagram account: "The band 'Bob Vylan' will NOT perform as a support act on 13.09.2025!" An employee at the venue who did not wish to be named told AFP that "we decided together with local organisers that (Bob Vylan) will not perform here after the media uproar", which followed their set at Glastonbury. On Monday, British police said they were launching a criminal investigation into remarks made by Bob Vylan and fellow rap group Kneecap at the festival in southwestern England. Advertisement The BBC, which broadcast the festival, later apologised for not pulling the live stream of the band's set. With reporting by DPA, AFP and Tom Pugh.
