Europe is hit by a heatwave
Residents and tourists are seeking relief amid widespread warnings as Europe’s extreme heatwave sends temperatures above 104 degrees.
A deadly sweltering heatwave engulfing parts of Europe has broken temperature records and is believed to have killed dozens of people in recent days. And Americans are wondering: Are we next?
Britain, Italy and Spain are experiencing a heatwave, with temperatures in some parts of France expected to reach at least 104 degrees Fahrenheit on June 23.
Chad Merrill, a senior meteorologist at AccuWeather, said there may be some connection between the heat wave in Europe and the weather in parts of the United States, particularly on the East Coast, in the coming days. In fact, temperatures are expected to rise in parts of the east next week, potentially leading to heatwave conditions, he said. And this summer, he said, there will be more days of extreme heat that could develop into heat waves.
Forecasters said the summer outlook across the United States shows a widespread chance that temperatures will exceed historical averages in much of the country.
The first few days of full-fledged summer, which began on June 21, have already seen above-average temperatures from parts of the Western United States to the Southern Plains, according to the National Weather Service. On June 23, heat advisories were issued for more than 26 million people in the Pacific Northwest and parts of New Mexico and Texas. Millions more people are under heat warnings across Arizona and California.
The Pacific Northwest is experiencing its second heatwave in June, AccuWeather reports. Cities like Seattle and Portland experienced temperatures in the 90s from June 13 to 15, the paper said.
40 people die in France due to heat wave
According to Reuters, Europe’s heat wave is coming from what is known as the “omega block,” so-called because its shape resembles the Greek letter omega. An area of high pressure between two low pressure systems.
Around 40 people have drowned while trying to cool off in canals and rivers since mid-June, according to French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu. Two children, aged 2 and 4, died in a hot car in the country’s southeast.
Transport cancellations are occurring in France due to the heat. Dozens of schools in England have announced they will close early because old buildings are not suitable to accommodate enough children during the hot months.
Heatwaves in Europe are particularly dangerous due to the relatively low heat mitigation capacity. Only about 20% of European homes have air conditioning. In contrast, nearly 90% of American homes have some type of air conditioning. Reuters reports that residents in Paris are spending sleepless nights in apartments without heating.
Will there be a heat wave in America this summer?
If a large high-pressure ridge sinks over Europe and brings record-breaking heat, a similar phenomenon could occur along the U.S. East Coast, Merrill said. That’s due to the wavy pattern of the jet stream, which rises north up the East Coast, sinks into the Atlantic Ocean, and rises again in that part of the world, he said.
The heatwave coming in the East next week could be what meteorologists know as a teleconnection with the European heat wave, Merrill said.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a heat wave is defined as a period of unusually hot weather lasting two or more days in a specific area. Merrill said the eastern United States, including Philadelphia and other cities, was already experiencing a heat wave in June.
Merrill said a heat wave could hit the Midwest in July, stretching from the Dakotas to Nebraska and west to Washington state. He said the areas most susceptible to heatwaves in August will include the Northwest, Northeast and parts of the Gulf Coast.
The Pacific Northwest, like Europe, is not as well prepared for the heat.
The Pacific Northwest is similar to Europe, but is less prepared for sweltering heat than other parts of the United States. Axios, citing census data, reported that about half of homes in King County, Washington state, which includes Seattle, have air conditioning.
“They’re not really used to the intense heat of the Pacific Northwest, especially Seattle and Portland,” Merrill said.
The heat dome that hit parts of the Pacific Northwest and Canada in June 2021 highlighted the danger. Hundreds of deaths were reported in the region, with some of the most vulnerable people without air conditioning.
Merrill said the Pacific Northwest is more susceptible to heat waves this summer than many other parts of the U.S. due to drought and El Niño conditions. He added that heatwaves and temperature fluctuations could cause a “shock to the system” in the region in the coming months.
Contributed by: Reuters
