Latest news with #extremeheat
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Europe bakes in summer's first heatwave as continent warms
Southern Europeans braced Saturday for the first heatwave of the northern hemisphere summer, as climate change pushes thermometers on the world's fastest-warming continent increasingly into the red. Temperatures are set to rise to 37 degrees Celsius (99 Fahrenheit) in Rome, driving the Eternal City's many tourists and pilgrims to the Vatican alike towards the Italian capital's 2,500 public fountains for refreshment. With residents of the southern French port city of Marseille expected to have to cope with temperatures flirting with 40C (104F), authorities in city ordered public swimming pools to be made free of charge to help residents beat the Mediterranean heat. Two-thirds of Portugal will be on high alert on Sunday for extreme heat and forest fires, with 42C (108F) expected in the capital Lisbon, while visitors to -- and protesters against -- Amazon tycoon Jeff Bezos's Friday wedding in Venice likewise sweltered under the summer sun. "There is no wind, a lot of humidity, we are sweating, and I'm suffocating at night," Alejandra Echeverria, a 40-year-old Mexican tourist to Venice, told AFP on Saturday. "I try not to think about it, but I drink a lot of water and never stay still, because that's when you get sunstroke," Sriane Mina, an Italian student, told AFP the day before. Scientists have long warned that humanity's burning of fossil fuels is heating up the world with disastrous consequences for the environment, with Europe's ever-hotter and increasingly common blistering summer heatwaves a direct result of that warming. The heatwave is forecast to become even more intense on Sunday. Spain, which has in past years seen a series of deadly summer blazes ravaging the Iberian peninsula, is expecting peak temperatures in excess of 40C (104F) across most of the country. - Outdoor work ban - According to the Spanish meteorological agency, temperatures may even register 42C (108F) in some areas, including the Guadalquivir, Guadiana, and Tagus regions. The past three years have been the hottest in Spain's history. With peaks of 39C (102F) expected in Naples and Palermo, Sicily has ordered a ban on outdoor work in the hottest hours of the day, as has the Liguria region in northern Italy. The country's trade unions are campaigning to extend the measure to other parts of the country. In Nice, on the French Riviera, nearly 250 fans have been distributed to schools over the past two weeks to help cope with the heat. The heatwave comes hot on the heels of a series of tumbling records for extreme heat, including Europe's hottest March ever, according to the EU's Copernicus climate monitor. As a result of the planet's warming, extreme weather events including hurricanes, droughts, floods and heatwaves like this weekend's have become more frequent and intense, scientists warn. By some estimates 2024, the hottest year in recorded history so far, saw worldwide disasters that cost more than $300 billion. burs-sbk/js
Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Climate
- Daily Mail
Europeans are warned to stay indoors as continent goes on high alert for extreme 47C heat and forest fires and Met Office says hottest day yet is coming for UK
Europeans have been warned to stay indoors as the continent goes on high alert for extreme 47C heat - as the Met Office says the UK's hottest day yet is on its way. The mercury is set to rise to 36C on Monday in parts of the UK in what could be the hottest June day in record and the highest temperature in nearly three years. An amber heat health alert has been activated until Tuesday covering the East Midlands, South East, South West and East of England, alongside Somerset - where Glastonbury is roaring ahead. And hayfever sufferers may have to lock themselves inside as a pollen bomb is set to be released on the same day - with very high levels across the south and midlands at the start of the week in what experts say will be the 'perfect storm' of misery. This week forest fires and flash floods have wrecked chaos across the continent, with warnings a heatwave is bearing down. Sweltering infernos have melted roads in Italy while raging wildfires tore through Greece. Two-thirds of Portugal will be on high alert on Sunday for extreme heat and forest fires, with 42C expected in the capital Lisbon. Residents of the southern French port city of Marseille and across Spain are also bracing themselves for 40C while it could reach highs of 39C in Rome. And it is only going to get more intense as the week goes on -with Sicily and areas of northern Italy banning outdoor work in the hottest hours of the day. In Nice, on the French Riviera, nearly 250 portable fans have been distributed to schools over the past two weeks to help cope with the heat. Temperatures could hit 31C (88F) today in southern England, with highs of 31C (88F) on Sunday, 36C (97F) on Monday and 31C (88F) on Tuesday. A so-called 'heat dome', where heat is trapped by a high-pressure system, is taking hold of the continent as well as another over eastern and central areas of the US. The conditions claimed the life of a Dutch tourist aged 34 who died from heatstroke in Mallorca earlier this week. France and Germany have been hammered by rain, hail and flooding - leaving three people dead, including a child crushed to death by a tree. Spaniards were advised by meteorologists to 'remain indoors as much as possible' and to avoid strenuous outdoor activities, while firefighters in Greece battled a wildfire that burned homes near the coastal town of Palaia Fokaia near Athens. In the UK, if the temperature reaches above 33.2C (91.8F) it would make it the hottest day of the year so far - beating the current record set last Saturday in Charlwood, Surrey. Experts say the intense heat and high pollen levels on Monday with create a 'worst of both worlds' scenario for the nation's 16 million hay fever sufferers. The South East, East of England, the East Midlands and West Midlands are expected to be the worst-hit regions with 'very high' pollen on Monday – while levels across the rest of the UK are mostly 'high'. George Sandhu, Deputy Superintendent Pharmacist for Well Pharmacy, said: 'Monday could be the worst day of the year for hay fever sufferers. 'High heat and pollen are the worst of both worlds for sufferers, who should consider limiting their time outside, keeping their windows closed and taking antihistamines.' 'My best advice to sufferers is to start taking your antihistamines right now, even if you have no symptoms yet. The earlier you take them, the more your body will be prepared to fight.' The record for the UK's hottest ever June day will also be under threat, having stood for nearly half a century at 35.6C (96.1F) after being set in 1976 in Southampton. The hottest day of 2024 was 34.8C (94.6F) in Cambridge on August 12; while the peak in 2023 was 33.5C (92.3F) in Kent on September 10; and the 2022 high was 40.3C (104.5F) on July 19 in Lincolnshire - the UK's highest temperature on record. An official heatwave is recorded when areas reach a certain temperature for three days in a row, with thresholds varying from 25C (77F) to 28C (82F) in different areas. Six tips for hayfever sufferers From George Sandhu, Deputy Superintendent Pharmacist for Well Pharmacy Monitor the pollen count I recommend doing a daily check so you know when you are most at risk. You can find this information on the Met Office website, which is constantly monitored Limit your time outdoors Pollen levels peak in the morning and evening, so be sure to avoid being outside then, or if necessary, only for short periods of time Keep windows closed Keep both home and car windows closed to reduce pollen entry. Use your air con rather than risk inhaling pollen particles Change your clothes regularly Pollen attaches itself to clothing when you are outside and can stay on your clothes all day. Be sure to shower and change your clothes after being outside to wash off any pollen that remains Wraparound shades I would advise wearing wraparound sunglasses to shield and protect your eyes. Sunglasses create a physical barrier between your eyes and the pollen, reducing the amount that can come into direct contact with your eyes, reducing irritation, itching, and redness, which are common hay fever symptoms. Also, with sunglasses, you're less likely to rub your eyes due to irritation from allergens, which can worsen the symptoms and lead to further inflammation or infection Consult a pharmacist If suffering from hay fever it is best to consult your local pharmacist and discuss what might be the best course of action Met Office meteorologist Craig Snell said yesterday: 'From Friday onwards we're starting to once again see the heat build across England and Wales. 'Scotland and Northern Ireland are going to have a slightly different few days, some parts of western Scotland could see some heavy rain, especially on Friday, and we could potentially see some further rain towards the end of the weekend. 'On Friday, we're likely to see temperatures potentially peak around 27C or 28C in central and southern parts of England, it's going to feel quite humid. 'On Saturday, the hottest weather will be in the south east, potentially 30C. On Sunday, we're most likely to see somewhere around 30C or 31C 'It looks like the peak of the hot spell will be Monday, at the moment it's looking between 32C and 34C, there's a chance it'll be hotter than the previous (heatwave). 'Tuesday, some fresher air is going to spread across the country, but we're potentially likely to see between 31C and 33C.' Some parts of central and southern England might meet the heatwave criteria by Monday, Mr Snell added. The Met Office forecast for London on Monday is 36C. Mr Snell also said that as of Monday, some potential thunderstorms could move in, but it is too early to say where they might be. Temperatures are likely to go back down to the mid-20Cs after Tuesday, which is still above average for the time of year, the forecaster said. The UKHSA activated the amber alert amid concerns that there could be 'a rise in deaths, particularly among those ages 65 and over or with health conditions'. The warning said 'significant impacts are likely across health and social care services due to the high temperatures' along with 'increased demand for power exceeding capacity' and 'heat affecting the ability of the workforce to deliver services'. It told of 'indoor environments overheating, increasing the risk to vulnerable people living independently in community and care settings'; and 'internal temperatures in care settings may exceed recommended threshold for clinical risk assessment'. There could also be 'issues managing medicines'; 'staffing issues due to external factors'; and 'other sectors starting to observe impacts - for example, travel delays'. Dr Agostinho Sousa, head of extreme events and health protection at the UKHSA, said: 'We have already seen a spell of hot weather last week and temperatures are once again set to increase in the coming days, with central, southern and eastern areas of the country likely to see the biggest impacts. 'Our findings show that heat, especially at the sort of temperatures we are likely to see at the beginning of next week, can result in serious health outcomes across the population, especially for older adults or those with pre-existing health conditions. Experts say the intense heat and high pollen levels on Monday with create a 'worst of both worlds' scenario for the nation's 16 million hay fever sufferers. Pictured: Pollen levels on Sunday (left) and Monday (right) 'It is, therefore, important to check on friends, family and neighbours who are more vulnerable and to take sensible precautions while enjoying the sun.' The National Pharmacy Association has advised patients to store their medicine away from heat zones and direct sunlight, warning that they can lose effectiveness or cause unwanted side effects. Vice-chairwoman and pharmacist Sukhi Basra said: 'It's important we take sensible precautions, including double-checking that your medication is stored correctly in a cool dry place, as per any storage instructions, ideally below 25C, as well drinking plenty of fluids and keeping your homes cool in the hottest hours of the day. 'We know the hot weather can be more of a challenge for older people or those with certain health conditions and it's important people check on vulnerable friends, family and neighbours during this period. 'If anyone has concerns at all about their health or their medication, please speak to your local pharmacy, who will be well placed to help.' Meanwhile data from Virgin Media O2 has predicted network traffic will drop as Brits head outside to enjoy the sunshine this week. Analysis of network traffic during the first heatwave earlier this month revealed that traffic fell by 7 per cent when the temperature hit 30C. Its poll found 41 per cent of UK workers admit to having pulled a sickie to make the most of hot weather, with that figure soaring to six out of ten 18 to 24 year olds. Weather expert Nacho Espinos has advised Spaniards to 'remain indoors as much as possible' and to avoid strenuous outdoor activities as the country prepares for the most extreme heatwave of the year. Emergency medical staff in Spain readied to deal with an unexpected surge in heatstroke cases, particularly among vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly and people with chronic illnesses. In neighbouring Portugal, the national meteorological agency IPMA said the heatwave would hit from today, with temperatures passing 40C in the south of the country as well as in the central Tagus and the Douro valleys in the north. Sunday will be even hotter, the agency added, and two-thirds of the country has already been put on orange alert. Temperatures are expected to hit 42C in the capital, Lisbon. The risk of fire is at its highest inland in the northern half of Portugal, as well as on the Algarve coast popular with holidaymakers in the south. In Greece, firefighters have been battling a wildfire that burned residences and holiday houses near the coastal town of Palaia Fokaia near Athens, which has forced people to flee. Fires have burned throughout the week, where frequent wildfires and floods in recent years have been exacerbated by a changing climate. In the area of Palaia Fokaia, 130 firefighters were supported by 12 aircraft and 12 helicopters as they sought to put out flames that were whipped up by high winds. Greek police have moved to safety 40 people, firebrigade spokesperson Vasilios Vathrakogiannis told a televised news conference, adding that coastguard vessels had sailed to the area to assist with more evacuations if needed. 'Firefighters are fighting a huge battle with the flames, mainly near houses,' he said, adding that a seaside roadway running across the affected areas was protectively cordoned off. Footage showed thick grey smoke rising over the region with lush vegetation, where air temperatures soared to 38C on Thursday. Authorities said the risk of wildfires would remain high on Friday before the weather got cooler. Fields, olive groves and some houses were ravaged by the blaze around Athens. Greece has spent hundreds of millions of euros to compensate households and farmers for damage related to extreme weather and to acquire new and modern firefighting equipment to deal with wildfires, which have been made harder to contain by rising summer temperatures. It has increased its number of firefighters to a record 18,000 this year in anticipation of another difficult wildfire season. Hundreds of firefighters in Greece also battled a wildfire which burned out of control on the eastern Aegean island of Chios, with authorities issuing multiple evacuation orders. GERMANY: A woman shields herself with an umbrella on Alexanderplatz square in Berlin amid a storm on Thursday Towering walls of flames tore through forest and agricultural land on the island, where authorities have declared a state of emergency and have sent firefighting reinforcements from Athens, the northern city of Thessaloniki and the nearby island of Lesbos. By Tuesday morning, the fire department said 444 firefighters with 85 vehicles were tackling the blaze on scattered fronts. Eleven helicopters and two water-dropping planes were providing air support. Emergency services issued evacuation orders for villages and settlements in the area since Sunday, when fires broke out near the island's main town. Apocalyptic scenes captured in images and videos showed firefighters battling the flames as the wildfires raged on, while thick plumes of black smoke filled the sky. Other videos showed helicopters spraying water over smoke-filled fields. Temperatures are also soaring over 40 degrees in Italy, the Balkans and Turkey. A motorway in Northern Italy was closed as burning temperatures caused roads to melt, local media reported. Italy's health ministry warned residents and tourists on Friday of soaring temperatures across the country, and issued a red alert for 21 cities this weekend - including Rome, Milan and Venice. People were advised to not go outdoors between 11:00 am and 6:00 pm, and to seek shelter in air-conditioned public places.
Al Jazeera
3 hours ago
- Climate
- Al Jazeera
Southern Europe roasts as first heatwave of the summer scorches continent
Europeans are braced for the first heatwave of the Northern Hemisphere summer, as climate change pushes thermometers on the world's fastest-warming continent further into the red. With temperatures expected to rise to 37 degrees Celsius (99 degrees Fahrenheit) in the Italian capital, Rome, on Saturday, the Eternal City's many tourists and Catholic pilgrims to the Vatican alike have been converging around the Italian capital's 2,500 public fountains for refreshment. In France, with residents of the southern port city of Marseille expected to have to cope with temperatures flirting with 40C (104F), authorities ordered public swimming pools to be made free of charge to help residents beat the Mediterranean heat. Two-thirds of Portugal will be on high alert on Sunday for extreme heat and forest fires with 42C (108F) expected in the capital, Lisbon. Meanwhile, visitors to – and protesters against – Amazon tycoon Jeff Bezos's Friday wedding in Venice were likewise sweltering under the summer sun. 'I try not to think about it, but I drink a lot of water and never stay still, because that's when you get sunstroke,' Sriane Mina, an Italian student, told AFP news agency on Friday in Venice. Meanwhile, Spain, which has in past years seen a series of deadly summer blazes ravaging the Iberian peninsula, is expecting peak temperatures in excess of 40C (104F) across most of the country from Sunday. Scientists have long warned that humanity's burning of fossil fuels is heating up the world with disastrous consequences for the environment, with Europe's ever-hotter and increasingly common blistering summer heatwaves a result of the long-term warming. With peaks of 39C (102F) expected in the cities of Naples and Palermo, Sicily has ordered a ban on outdoor work in the hottest hours of the day, as has the Liguria region in northern Italy. The country's trade unions are campaigning to extend the measure to other parts of the country. In Greece, the first heatwave of the summer arrived on Thursday when a fast-moving wildfire engulfed holiday homes and forest land on a section of the Greek coastline just 40km (25 miles) south of the capital, Athens. More than 100 firefighters, supported by two dozen firefighting aircraft, battled the wildfire that tore across the coastal area of Palaia Fokaia. The flames were whipped up by high winds as temperatures approached 40C (104F). The heatwave comes hot on the heels of a series of tumbling records for extreme heat, including Europe's hottest March ever, according to the European Union's Copernicus climate monitor. As a result of the planet's warming, extreme weather events including hurricanes, droughts, floods and heatwaves like this weekend's have become more frequent and intense, scientists warn.
The National
3 hours ago
- Business
- The National
'Without these labourers we are nothing': Dubai campaign delivers relief amid record heat
As the UAE officially enters summer − following the hottest May on record, with temperatures topping 50°C − authorities and community groups are stepping up efforts to protect outdoor workers from extreme heat. In Dubai, the second year of the Al Freej Fridge campaign − Al Freej means neighbourhood in Arabic − is distributing cold drinks and frozen treats to thousands of frontline workers. As temperatures neared the 40°C mark on Saturday, construction workers from developer Azizi Group received cooling treats from volunteers, including Mirwais Azizi, founder and chairman of Azizi Developments, and four of his grandchildren. The campaign, led by neighbourhood community initiative Ferjan Dubai, with support from the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, the UAE Water Aid Foundation − also known as Suqia − and the UAE Food Bank, aims to distribute more than two million bottles of water, juice and frozen treats to Dubai's frontline workers. Employees including cleaners, construction workers, delivery drivers and landscapers across Dubai are set to benefit from the initiative over the summer months. 'Without these labourers we are nothing. Without them we can't build anything in Dubai.' Mr Azizi told The National. 'I came today to give small gifts to labourers to show them respect.' Ibrahim Al Blooshi, director of sustainability and partnership at MBRGI said: 'Today, we distributed 12,500 items to over 4,000 workers. The initiative will be running until August 23.' Organisers say roaming refrigerated trucks and fixed fridges at worker accommodation ensure consistent access to cold drinks. Volunteers are also using personal vehicles to distribute beverages to sites across the city. Halim Mondal, a 30-year-old Indian carpenter, told The National that it's a good break from his routine work at Azizi Venice construction site in Dubai South. 'Usually, we take break in the afternoon and rest. Today, they asked us to line up for some gifts.' Shahzaib Alaldden, 28-year-old construction worker from Pakistan, said the initiative is a testament that Dubai really cares for its workers. 'I have an ice cream, a bottle of water and juice. It's a beautiful gesture,' Mr Alaldden told The National. 'I've been working in Dubai for six months in Azizi group. With the rise of summer temperatures, our managers make sure that we have enough water and good labour conditions.' The campaign comes as Dubai authorities ramp up enforcement of the midday break rule. The annual ban prevents labourers from carrying out any work under direct sunlight between 12pm and 3pm throughout the three-month period. An estimated half million construction workers in Dubai are expected to benefit from the Ministry of Labour's three-month mandatory midday break regulation this year.
The Verge
3 hours ago
- Health
- The Verge
How extreme heat disproportionately affects Latino neighborhoods
Scorching hot days tend to hit certain neighborhoods harder than others, a problem that becomes more dangerous during record-breaking heat like swathes of the US experienced over the past week. A new online dashboard shows how Latino neighborhoods are disproportionately affected in California. Developed by University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), the tool helps fill in gaps as the Trump administration takes a sledgehammer to federal climate, race, and ethnicity data resources. 'We want to provide facts, reliable data sources. We don't want this to be something that gets erased from the policy sphere,' says Arturo Vargas Bustamante, faculty research director at the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute (LPPI). 'We don't want this to be something that gets erased' The Latino Climate & Health Dashboard includes data on extreme heat and air pollution, as well as asthma rates and other health conditions — issues that are linked to each other. High temperatures can speed up the chemical reactions that create smog. Chronic exposure to fine particle pollution, or soot, can increase the risk of a child developing asthma. Having asthma or another respiratory illness can then make someone more vulnerable to poor air quality and heat stress. Burning fossil fuels — whether in nearby factories, power plants, or internal combustion vehicles — makes all of these problems worse. Latino neighborhoods have to cope with 23 more days of extreme heat a year compared to non-Latino white neighborhoods in California, the dashboard shows. LPPI defined extreme heat as days when temperatures climbed to 90 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. If you've ever heard about a phenomenon called the urban heat island effect, big differences in temperature from neighborhood to neighborhood probably wouldn't come as a surprise. Areas with less greenery and more dark, paved surfaces and waste heat from industrial facilities or vehicles generally tend to trap heat. Around 1 in 10 Americans lives in a place where the built environment makes it feel at least 8 degrees Fahrenheit hotter than it would without that urban sprawl according to one study of 65 cities from last year. And after years of redlining that bolstered segregation and disinvestment in certain neighborhoods in the US, neighborhoods with more residents of color are often hotter than others. The dashboard includes fact sheets by county to show what factors might raise temperatures in certain areas. In Los Angeles County, for example, only four percent of land in majority-Latino neighborhoods is shaded by tree canopy compared to nine percent in non-Latino white neighborhoods. Conversely, impervious surfaces like asphalt and concrete that hold heat span 68 percent of land in Latino neighborhoods compared to 47 percent in majority non-Latino white areas in LA County. For this dashboard, LPPI defines a Latino neighborhood as a census tract where more than 70 percent of residents identify as Latino. It used the same 70 percent threshold to define non-Latino white neighborhoods. Latino neighborhoods in California are also exposed to twice as much air pollution and have twice as many asthma-related ER visits as non-latino white neighborhoods, according to the dashboard. It brings together data from the Census Bureau, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the state's environmental health screening tool called CalEnviroScreen, and other publicly-available sources. The Trump administration has taken down the federal counterpart to CalEnviroScreen, called EJScreen, as part of its purge of diversity and equity research. Researchers have been working to track and archive datasets that might be targeted since before President Donald Trump stepped back into office. Efforts to keep these kinds of studies going are just as vital, so that people don't have to rely on outdated information that no longer reflects current conditions on the ground. And other researchers have launched new initiatives to document the Trump administration's environmental rollbacks. The Environmental Defense Fund and other advocacy groups, for instance, launched a mapping tool in April that shows 500 facilities across the US that the Environmental Protection Agency has recently invited to apply for exemptions to air pollution limits. UCLA's dashboard adds to the patchwork of more locally-led research campaigns, although it can't replace the breadth of data that federal agencies have historically collected. 'Of course, we don't have the resources that our federal government has,' Bustamante says. 'But with what we are able to do, I think that one of the main aims is to keep this issue [at the top of] the agenda and provide reliable information that will be useful for community change.' Data like this is a powerful tool for ending the kinds of disparities the dashboard exposes. It can inform efforts to plant trees where they're needed most. Or it can show public health officials and community advocates where they need to check in with people to make sure they can find a safe place to cool down during the next heatwave.
