The role of increasing temperature variability in European summer heatwaves (2024)

FAQs

What is causing the heat wave in Europe? ›

The current extreme heat is due to an anticyclone, a high-pressure system, that is dominating the upper atmosphere over southern Europe. As well as compressing and warming air, high-pressure systems are associated with reduced cloud cover, allowing more solar radiation to reach the ground.

These variations can cause short-term warming or cooling trends in regional climate, if one or more of these conditions dominates over a period of time (e.g., several years to decades). For example, natural variability has generally favored cooler and wetter conditions in the Pacific Northwest over the last 15 years.

Background. Short-term temperature variability, defined as the temperature range occurring within a short time span at a given location, appears to be increasing with climate change. Such variation in temperature may influence acute health outcomes, especially cardiovascular diseases (CVD).

In this weather pattern, the jet stream, which is typically a narrow band of fast-moving air in the upper atmosphere, splits into two branches with Europe in between. This phenomenon causes a “heat dome” effect in which European countries are trapped in a pattern of prolonged, extreme heat.

The continent generated 43% of its electricity from renewable resources last year, up from 36% the year before, the agencies say in their European State of the Climate report for last year. More energy in Europe was generated from renewables than from fossil fuels for the second year running.

Ocean heatwaves can affect atmospheric circulation patterns and warm the air masses above them. Scientists say climate change, primarily triggered by greenhouse gas emissions mainly from burning fossil fuels, will result in more frequent, severe and dangerous heatwaves.

Geological records show that there have been a number of large variations in the Earth's climate. These have been caused by many natural factors, including changes in the sun, emissions from volcanoes, variations in Earth's orbit and levels of carbon dioxide (CO₂).

While future globally averaged regional temperature variability decreases only slightly across the model average, the contrasting pattern of increasing variability over tropical land and decreasing variability in high latitudes is projected to become much more pronounced under strong global warming.

The main effect of ambient temperature variation on human systems is abnormalities in blood vessels and homeostatic mechanisms, which trigger a series of responses that may affect the cardiovascular system.

High temperatures

The climate crisis has increased the average global temperature and is leading to more frequent high-temperature extremes, such as heatwaves.

Which country is least affected by global warming? ›

The hottest places in Europe

The hottest place in Europe is Valletta in Malta, with an average daily temperature over the whole year of 22.3ºC. A holiday in Malta is a pretty safe bet almost any time. Athens is second with an annual average of 22ºC.

They are caused by a combination of factors, such as high pressure systems, solar radiation, trapped gases, wind and ocean currents, and climate change.

The mechanism is simple: The burning of fossil fuels adds greenhouse gases to the atmosphere, which traps more heat energy and pushes up average temperatures — which, in turn, also pushes up extreme temperatures.

North America, Europe and China have experienced heatwaves increasingly frequently over the last years as a result of warming caused by human activities, hence the current heat waves are not rare in today's climate with an event like the currently expected approximately once every 15 years in the US/Mexico region, once ...

Weather systems usually move from west to east - but sometimes they can get blocked when the jet stream weakens and brings prolonged periods of similar conditions. An omega block is responsible for the heatwave which is gripping parts of the UK.