Starting at the end of May through mid-August, Europe has suffered through five rounds of dangerously high temperatures, breaking records in 18 countries. Temperatures were the highest ever recorded for May. Western Europe was the most affected area, with reports of record-breaking temperatures in France, Ireland and the United Kingdom.
Climate scientists are not surprised by the high temperatures. It is clear that global warming is adding extra heat to European heat waves. This summer’s European heat does bring up the question of whether climate change is not only intensifying hot weather but altering weather patterns.
The hot spells in Europe are the result of heat domes, which are giant masses of high-pressure air that become stuck in place, clearing out clouds and heating the land for days or even weeks at a time. Heat domes are caused by various weather patterns. The warming caused by climate change makes it more likely that heat domes reach record-breaking temperatures more frequently and for longer stretches.
One weather pattern that affects heat dome formation is the temperature difference between the Arctic and the Equator. The Arctic is warming much faster than the rest of the world, reducing that difference. As a result, the movement of weather systems is more sluggish, producing more persistent heat waves.
Scientists are working to understand the forces that are leading to more frequent and more persistent heat waves. Society can cope with short heat waves, but when extreme heat drags on for weeks, it is a problem for agriculture, for the water supply, and for pretty much everyone.
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References:
Why Europe Keeps Being Pummeled by Heat Waves
