Will Temperatures Exceed 50 Degrees? Drastic Warming in Europe
Temperatures in parts of Europe may exceed 50 degrees Celsius. British scientists warn that increasingly intense heatwaves will change the way people spend their holidays in the south of the continent. The greatest risk concerns the elderly and those particularly vulnerable to the effects of high temperatures.
Heatwaves are increasingly noticeable even in Norway.
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The situation is particularly difficult in Spain. In recent days, some weather stations have recorded temperatures reaching 44 degrees Celsius. The heat is fueling fires. Large areas of Spain and France have been affected by flames, forcing thousands of residents to leave their homes.
Humidity Increases the Danger. The Body Feels More Heat
Professor Hanna Cloke, a meteorologist and climate researcher at the University of Reading, points to the impact of air humidity. In the hottest parts of Spain and Portugal, temperatures may exceed 40 degrees Celsius. That’s not the only problem. High humidity makes the perceived temperature higher than what thermometers show.
Cloke emphasizes that such conditions can lead to death. The body then has more difficulty lowering its temperature. The danger rises quickly. Special caution should be exercised by the elderly and those in vulnerable groups, especially when the temperature exceeds 40 degrees Celsius.
Retired professor of geophysics and climate risk Bill McGuire from University College London (UCL) believes that the current records may be the beginning of further temperature increases. In his opinion, values exceeding 50 degrees Celsius may appear as early as this summer or next year. He points to the El Niño phenomenon, whose intensifying impact on temperature is expected to reach its peak as conditions in the Pacific region develop.
Cloke emphasizes that such conditions can lead to death. The body then has more difficulty lowering its temperature. The danger rises quickly. Special caution should be exercised by the elderly and those in vulnerable groups, especially when the temperature exceeds 40 degrees Celsius.
Retired professor of geophysics and climate risk Bill McGuire from University College London (UCL) believes that the current records may be the beginning of further temperature increases. In his opinion, values exceeding 50 degrees Celsius may appear as early as this summer or next year. He points to the El Niño phenomenon, whose intensifying impact on temperature is expected to reach its peak as conditions in the Pacific region develop.
Holidays May Look Different. Europe Is Warming Faster
The highest officially recorded air temperature in Europe was 48.8 degrees Celsius, measured in Sicily in 2021. That record may be broken. McGuire estimates that tourists traveling to Southern Europe should prepare to spend most of the day in air-conditioned rooms.
The researcher points out that Europe is warming faster than other continents. The average temperature is now more than 2 degrees Celsius higher than 100 years ago. Extreme values are also increasing. According to McGuire, this is influenced, among other things, by the annual release of over 40 billion tons of CO2 into the atmosphere.
Heatwaves are becoming longer and more intense. McGuire notes that every year they lead to many deaths. The process may continue. In his opinion, temperatures in the Mediterranean region will keep rising unless there is a significant reduction in global carbon dioxide emissions.
The researcher points out that Europe is warming faster than other continents. The average temperature is now more than 2 degrees Celsius higher than 100 years ago. Extreme values are also increasing. According to McGuire, this is influenced, among other things, by the annual release of over 40 billion tons of CO2 into the atmosphere.
Heatwaves are becoming longer and more intense. McGuire notes that every year they lead to many deaths. The process may continue. In his opinion, temperatures in the Mediterranean region will keep rising unless there is a significant reduction in global carbon dioxide emissions.
Analyses by the Spanish meteorological service Eltiempo.es indicate that 50 degrees Celsius could occur in Spain by the middle or end of the century. The greatest potential is found along the Andalusian coast, the regions of Murcia and Valencia, and the Ebro valley near Zaragoza. For such temperatures to occur, very hot air masses, a lack of cloud cover, and the right direction of dry wind would all be needed at the same time.
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