An unrelenting heatwave is sweeping across southern Europe, set to break temperature records. Emergency workers in Spain, Greece, and the Swiss Alps are battling wildfires as temperatures soar.
Italy, Spain, and Greece are all predicted to experience temperatures over 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) as a second heatwave engulfs the region. This heatwave has been named “Charon,” after the Greek mythological ferryman who transports souls to the underworld.
Italy remains in the grip of scorching heat following the previous “Cerberus” heatwave. According to Italian weather news service Meteo.it, Sardinia and Sicily could see temperatures reach as high as 46 degrees Celsius on Tuesday.
The highest-ever recorded temperature in Europe is believed to be 48.8 degrees Celsius, recorded near the ancient city of Syracuse in Sicily in August 2021. The World Meteorological Organization anticipates that this record could be broken in the coming days as the heatwave intensifies.
This extreme heat follows the recent hottest day on record, which has occurred for the third time in just four days. The United States and China have also experienced temperatures exceeding 50 degrees Celsius.
Pedestrians walk under a pharmacy’s sign indicating the current outside temperature near the Scalinata di Trinita dei Monti (Spanish Steps) in Rome on July 17, 2023, during a heatwave in Italy.
Tiziana Fabi | Afp | Getty Images
Climate scientists emphasize the urgent need to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions in response to the recent global heat records. They point out that the climate emergency is increasing the frequency and severity of heatwaves like the one currently impacting Europe.
“The bubble of hot air over southern Europe has turned Italy and surrounding countries into a giant pizza oven,” said Hannah Cloke, a professor at the University of Reading who specializes in natural hazards. She added, “The hot air from Africa has moved in and settled, creating high-pressure conditions that continue to build heat in the warm sea, land, and air.”
“Sea level rise, melting ice, extreme heatwaves, intense rainfall, wildfires, droughts, and floods are occurring simultaneously in many parts of the world,” Cloke explained. “Today’s weather extremes are throwing everything everywhere all at once, unlike in the past when certain regions experienced cooler periods during heatwaves, as seen in Britain’s hot summer of 1976.”
Hot weather red alerts were issued for 20 cities in Italy on Tuesday, indicating extreme weather conditions that could pose a risk even to healthy individuals.
In Spain, the state weather agency warned of extreme danger, with temperatures expected to reach 44 degrees Celsius in areas such as Mallorca, Aragon, and Catalonia.
Meanwhile, wildfires continue to rage out of control on the Canary Island of La Palma, leading to the evacuation of over 4,000 people over the weekend.
Wildfire rages by the houses in the settlement of Irini, near the resort town of Loutraki, some 80 kilometers east of Athens, on July 17, 2023.
Valerie Gache | Afp | Getty Images
Two wildfires broke out on Monday in coastal towns near Athens, Greece. Strong winds fueled the flames, leading residents to evacuate their homes.
In Switzerland, police ordered the evacuation of several mountain villages as a forest fire spread. Approximately 150 firefighters are working to extinguish the fire, while an investigation is underway to determine its cause.
“This is just the beginning. This is what the climate system can do with only 1.2 degrees Celsius of warming,” said Simon Lewis, a professor of Global Change Science at University College London. He added, “Current global policies are projected to result in 2.7 degrees Celsius of warming by 2100. That is truly terrifying.”
Lewis referred to a major U.N. report from leading climate scientists, which stressed the need for immediate and significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions to mitigate global heating.
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