The heat wave continues to overwhelm Europe, and in the coming days new temperature records are expected, which will exceed the 40-degree Celsius mark in many places, writes the BBC.
Temperatures are expected to exceed 40 degrees Celsius in Spain, France, Greece, Croatia and Turkey. In some parts of Italy, temperatures could reach 48 degrees Celsius, making it the highest temperature ever recorded in Europe.
Ten European cities are on red alert, including Florence and Rome.
The European Union’s climate monitoring center Copernicus stated that June was the hottest in the history of observations so far. The World Meteorological Organization has warned that extreme weather conditions caused by climate warming are unfortunately becoming the “new normal”.
The heat wave has also affected tourists. The Greek Red Cross has deployed teams in Athens to keep an eye on visitors to the Acropolis, many of whom are experiencing nausea and dizziness due to the heat. The representative of the organization, Marina Stamati, said that leaflets are being distributed with information on where rooms with air conditioners are available in Athens.
At the beginning of the week in northern Italy, a man died due to the heat, and several other tourists suffered from heat stroke.
Residents and tourists are advised to drink at least two liters of water a day and avoid coffee and alcohol.
Heatwave Cerberus, named after the three-headed hellhound, is forecast to bring even hotter weather in the coming days.
In Spain, the heat reaches 45 degrees Celsius. The Andalusian regional government has set up a hotline to help those affected by the heat. The British Meteorological Service has informed that it expects the temperature to rise on Friday, the 14th of July.
As Cerberus subsides, the next heat wave is expected, named Charon – in ancient Greek mythology, it is the carrier of the dead across the rivers of the underworld to the gates of Hades. Under its influence, the air temperature in Rome can reach 43 degrees Celsius, while in Sardinia – even 47 degrees.
The heat has taken over not only Europe – record high temperatures have also been recorded in Canada and the USA, as well as in several parts of Asia.
The highest water temperature ever has been recorded in the Atlantic Ocean,
and the area of the Arctic ice sheet has significantly decreased. And it will get even hotter.
Looking at the heat in historical terms, the first week of July is currently the hottest on record. Scientists have used the air bubbles trapped in the Antarctic ice, which allows determining the air temperature even more than a million years ago. These data show that the last time it was as hot as this year 125 thousand years ago. It was a geological period during which hippos swam in the Thames and sea levels were five meters higher.
A new study has concluded that last year’s heatwave claimed 61,672 lives in Europe. Italy, Spain, and Germany had the highest number of heat-related deaths. There are fears that the heat will take its toll this summer as well.
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