Europe Braces for Brutal Summer
The UK Met Office cautioned that Britain faces a warmer-than-average summer, with heatwaves now twice as likely as under previous climate norms — a stark illustration of how rapidly the baseline is shifting.
The alert follows an extraordinarily warm spring across western Europe.
"France, Britain and Portugal reported their hottest-ever May days as a 'heat dome' of warm air from northern Africa pushed temperatures well above normal levels across western Europe," the French weather service Meteo-France said.
In the UK, thermometers hit a record 35.1C (95.1F) at Kew Gardens in London — the highest May temperature ever documented in the country.
The human cost of early-season heat is already becoming visible. Spain recorded 101 heat-related deaths in May — the highest monthly toll since records began in 2015 and more than three times the decade average, according to the country's Health Ministry.
The European Space Agency separately recorded abnormally high land surface temperatures across large swaths of the continent in late May, with southern and central Europe among the worst-affected areas.
Adding further weight to the warnings, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said Tuesday there is an 80% chance of El Niño conditions developing between June and August — a climate pattern known to amplify temperature extremes, drought and heavy rainfall.
"El Nino conditions are developing and are set to influence global temperature and rainfall patterns," the WMO said, flagging heightened risks of heatwaves, drought and intense precipitation events.
The UN agency added that forecasts for June through August point to "a nearly universal dominance of above normal temperatures" across most of the globe.
Short-term projections suggest a brief cooler interlude early in June before high pressure potentially rebuilds later in the month, raising the prospect of renewed heat across parts of the continent.
Authorities across Europe are already sounding the alarm, warning that early-season conditions are straining health systems, water supplies and energy networks — pressures that could intensify considerably in the weeks to come.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
