Why we expect longer, hotter, and more dangerous heatwaves than Europe has ever seen
What's causing this escalation in extreme heat? The short answer is human-induced climate change. But the full picture reveals how human-driven warming, shifting atmospheric patterns, and parched landscapes are combining to produce longer, hotter, and more dangerous heatwaves than Europe has ever seen.
The warming continent
The Earth has already warmed by around 1.2°C since pre-industrial times, but Europe is heating up faster than the global average. According to the European Environment Agency, Europe's temperature has increased by around 2.2°C, making it the fastest-warming continent on the planet.
This increase is not just an abstract statistic. It dramatically raises the odds of extreme heat. Every heatwave we experience today has been made more intense by climate change. It's not a future problem, but a present-day reality. When natural heatwaves occur, they now start from a warmer baseline, meaning they're hotter, last longer, and occur more frequently than they did just a few decades ago.
Stuck in a hot loop
The atmosphere is a key player in Europe's heatwaves. A high-pressure system, often called an omega block for its Ω-shaped jet stream pattern, traps hot air under a heat dome, blocking cooler, wetter weather for weeks. The current heatwave scorching southern Europe appears to be driven by such a system. The jet stream, a fast-moving ribbon of air in the atmosphere, normally pushes weather along. But one hypothesis suggests that Arctic amplification, where the Arctic warms up to four times faster than the global average, can weaken and wobble the jet stream, stalling weather patterns. This creates persistent heat domes, amplifying extreme temperatures across Europe.
When the soil can't sweat
A lesser-known but crucial factor behind extreme heat is soil moisture, or the lack of it. During hot weather, moist soils act like natural air conditioners. As water evaporates, it cools the land surface, much like how sweating cools our bodies. But when soils are dry, that cooling mechanism is not working. The result is a feedback loop: dry soils mean less evaporation, which means hotter temperatures, which in turn dry the soil even further. This phenomenon has likely played a major role in intensifying Europe's recent heatwaves, particularly in drought-stricken regions of the Mediterranean and central Europe.
In 2022 and 2023, vast swathes of farmland across southern and western Europe wilted under scorching heat. In France and Italy, crop yields tumbled. Water levels in rivers like the Rhine and Po plummeted, disrupting transport and irrigation. Wildfires, fanned by dry vegetation and intense heat, spread across Greece, Portugal, and Spain with devastating speed.
A pharmacy sign displays a temperature of 45 degrees Celsius in France on July 2. Picture: Jean-Christophe VerhaegenAFP via Getty Images
Cities on the boil
Urban areas are particularly vulnerable during heatwaves due to the urban heat island effect. Concrete, asphalt, and rooftops absorb and retain heat, often making cities several degrees warmer than the surrounding countryside, especially at night, when retained heat prevents buildings from cooling.
In places like Rome, Paris, Milan, and Madrid, overnight temperatures have often failed to drop below 25°C, which is a threshold considered dangerous to health, particularly for older people, infants, and those with pre-existing conditions. These warm nights, exacerbated by urban heat islands and climate change, increase risks of heatstroke and mortality. The summer of 2022 is estimated to have caused more than 60,000 excess deaths across Europe due to heat-related illnesses, a toll that highlights the silent lethality of extreme heat. In many cities, heatwaves now pose a bigger public health threat than cold snaps.
What can be done?
There's no doubt that Europe's summers are changing. But the worst outcomes are not inevitable. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions remains the most critical step in limiting future warming. The Paris Agreement aims to keep global temperature rise below 1.5°C, but current policies are not yet on track to meet that goal.
In the meantime, adaptation is essential. Urban design can make a difference by increasing the area for green spaces, shaded streets, and reflective materials can help cool cities. Nature-based solutions, such as planting trees, restoring wetlands, and creating green roofs, provide cooling, improve air quality, and support biodiversity.
Public health systems must also adapt. Early warning systems, heat-health action plans, and community outreach can protect the most vulnerable during extreme heat events. Building regulations should ensure homes can stay cool passively, rather than relying on air conditioning, which in itself can contribute to emissions if powered by fossil fuels.
A hotter future or a smarter one?
The scientific evidence is clear. Heatwaves in Europe are becoming more intense, more frequent, and more dangerous because of human-caused climate change. What were rare events are now happening every few years. Without serious intervention, could soon become an annual feature of European summers.
If we act decisively, cutting emissions, rethinking urban planning, and protecting the vulnerable, we can keep Europe liveable in the decades to come. The choice is ours. Do we endure summers of extreme heat or rise to the challenge of a warming world, which is backed by science and smart solutions.
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Irish Examiner
4 days ago
- Irish Examiner
Why we expect longer, hotter, and more dangerous heatwaves than Europe has ever seen
Europe is sweltering. Summer has just begun and we're already seeing record-breaking heatwaves sweep across the continent. Temperatures have surged past 44°C in parts of Spain, Portugal, Italy, and France. Portugal and Spain recorded their hottest June ever. What's causing this escalation in extreme heat? The short answer is human-induced climate change. But the full picture reveals how human-driven warming, shifting atmospheric patterns, and parched landscapes are combining to produce longer, hotter, and more dangerous heatwaves than Europe has ever seen. The warming continent The Earth has already warmed by around 1.2°C since pre-industrial times, but Europe is heating up faster than the global average. According to the European Environment Agency, Europe's temperature has increased by around 2.2°C, making it the fastest-warming continent on the planet. This increase is not just an abstract statistic. It dramatically raises the odds of extreme heat. Every heatwave we experience today has been made more intense by climate change. It's not a future problem, but a present-day reality. When natural heatwaves occur, they now start from a warmer baseline, meaning they're hotter, last longer, and occur more frequently than they did just a few decades ago. Stuck in a hot loop The atmosphere is a key player in Europe's heatwaves. A high-pressure system, often called an omega block for its Ω-shaped jet stream pattern, traps hot air under a heat dome, blocking cooler, wetter weather for weeks. The current heatwave scorching southern Europe appears to be driven by such a system. The jet stream, a fast-moving ribbon of air in the atmosphere, normally pushes weather along. But one hypothesis suggests that Arctic amplification, where the Arctic warms up to four times faster than the global average, can weaken and wobble the jet stream, stalling weather patterns. This creates persistent heat domes, amplifying extreme temperatures across Europe. When the soil can't sweat A lesser-known but crucial factor behind extreme heat is soil moisture, or the lack of it. During hot weather, moist soils act like natural air conditioners. As water evaporates, it cools the land surface, much like how sweating cools our bodies. But when soils are dry, that cooling mechanism is not working. The result is a feedback loop: dry soils mean less evaporation, which means hotter temperatures, which in turn dry the soil even further. This phenomenon has likely played a major role in intensifying Europe's recent heatwaves, particularly in drought-stricken regions of the Mediterranean and central Europe. In 2022 and 2023, vast swathes of farmland across southern and western Europe wilted under scorching heat. In France and Italy, crop yields tumbled. Water levels in rivers like the Rhine and Po plummeted, disrupting transport and irrigation. Wildfires, fanned by dry vegetation and intense heat, spread across Greece, Portugal, and Spain with devastating speed. A pharmacy sign displays a temperature of 45 degrees Celsius in France on July 2. Picture: Jean-Christophe VerhaegenAFP via Getty Images Cities on the boil Urban areas are particularly vulnerable during heatwaves due to the urban heat island effect. Concrete, asphalt, and rooftops absorb and retain heat, often making cities several degrees warmer than the surrounding countryside, especially at night, when retained heat prevents buildings from cooling. In places like Rome, Paris, Milan, and Madrid, overnight temperatures have often failed to drop below 25°C, which is a threshold considered dangerous to health, particularly for older people, infants, and those with pre-existing conditions. These warm nights, exacerbated by urban heat islands and climate change, increase risks of heatstroke and mortality. The summer of 2022 is estimated to have caused more than 60,000 excess deaths across Europe due to heat-related illnesses, a toll that highlights the silent lethality of extreme heat. In many cities, heatwaves now pose a bigger public health threat than cold snaps. What can be done? There's no doubt that Europe's summers are changing. But the worst outcomes are not inevitable. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions remains the most critical step in limiting future warming. The Paris Agreement aims to keep global temperature rise below 1.5°C, but current policies are not yet on track to meet that goal. In the meantime, adaptation is essential. Urban design can make a difference by increasing the area for green spaces, shaded streets, and reflective materials can help cool cities. Nature-based solutions, such as planting trees, restoring wetlands, and creating green roofs, provide cooling, improve air quality, and support biodiversity. Public health systems must also adapt. Early warning systems, heat-health action plans, and community outreach can protect the most vulnerable during extreme heat events. Building regulations should ensure homes can stay cool passively, rather than relying on air conditioning, which in itself can contribute to emissions if powered by fossil fuels. A hotter future or a smarter one? The scientific evidence is clear. Heatwaves in Europe are becoming more intense, more frequent, and more dangerous because of human-caused climate change. What were rare events are now happening every few years. Without serious intervention, could soon become an annual feature of European summers. If we act decisively, cutting emissions, rethinking urban planning, and protecting the vulnerable, we can keep Europe liveable in the decades to come. The choice is ours. Do we endure summers of extreme heat or rise to the challenge of a warming world, which is backed by science and smart solutions.
Irish Post
06-06-2025
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Canadian wildfire smoke seen in Ireland and across Northern Europe
SMOKE from wildfires burning in central Canada has drifted thousands of miles across the Atlantic, arriving in Ireland and other parts of northwestern Europe, according to European climate researchers. The Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS), an environmental agency under the European Union's Earth observation programme, has been tracking the movement of wildfire smoke since the start of May. Using satellite data, CAMS confirmed that a large plume originating from the provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Ontario reached Ireland on Sunday, June 1. Additional plumes are expected to spread further into Europe later this week. 'Wildfires are a frequent occurrence in boreal forests from spring through summer,' said Mark Parrington, a senior scientist at CAMS. 'But the intensity of fires we've seen in Canada this year, particularly in central regions, is extraordinary.' CAMS analysis shows that while the smoke has visibly affected the sky, producing hazy skies and vibrant sunsets, the smoke is travelling at high altitudes, meaning they won't have a major effect on air quality in Europe. However, elsewhere the fires have already caused a lot of damage. More than 25,000 people in Canada have been forced to evacuate, prompting officials in both Saskatchewan and Manitoba to declare month-long states of emergency. U.S. states near the Canadian border have also experienced low air quality as the smoke drifts south. The fires are part of what experts warn could become an intense wildfire season in Canada, exacerbated by ongoing drought, that's also affecting northern Europe. Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service has facilities across all of Europe (Photo by CAMS) Similar wildfires are happening across Russia's Far Eastern Federal District, in the regions of Buryatia and Zabaykalsky Krai near the borders with China and Mongolia. According to CAMS, carbon emissions from fires in that area have reached their highest levels for this time of year since 2018. Smoke from those Russian blazes has been detected as far away as northeastern China, northern Japan and even the Arctic. While current forecasts suggest only minor health risks from the smoke in Europe, Parrington claimed that the increasing reach of these wildfires add to growing concerns about the long-term effects of climate change and global air quality. Going into further detail Parrington said, "The fact that we can notice the impacts of the smoke in European skies is a reflection of the devastation of wildfires which have been burning in Canada, indicating the increased number of fires, intensity, and duration. A lot of smoke has to be generated in order for it to travel so far and be noticeable and shows how people on either side of the Atlantic are connected via the atmosphere." As we come up to the drier summer months, monitoring agencies like CAMS will continue to track these plumes across Ireland and northern Europe. See More: CAMS, Canada, Mark Parrington, Wilfire
Sunday World
03-06-2025
- Sunday World
Canadian wildfires smoke reaches Ireland after crossing Atlantic
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