What's causing the heat wave in Europe?

Europe is currently in the middle of a heat wave. In particular, Italy is expected to face high heat, with temperatures projected to reach between 40 and 45 degrees Celsius.

There is even one possibility that the current temperature record in Europe 48.8 °C can be exceeded. High temperatures are recorded in other countries in South and Eastern Europe, including France, Spain, Poland and Greece.

The vapa will complicate the travel plans of those who go to popular holiday destinations throughout the region. The heat waves, which are defined as prolonged periods of extremely hot weather at a certain location, can be extremely dangerous, reports abcnews.al.

In 2003, a heat wave swept across Europe, causing 70 thousand casualties. Then in 2002 another wave struck Europe, causing almost 62,000 casualties.

The current heat wave is being triggered by an anticyclon called Cerberus according to the three-headed dog monster guarding the world's gates of crime in Greek mythology. This is a normal meteorological phenomenon in which air pressure from the surface of the atmosphere results in a dry weather period.

High-pressed systems tend to move slowly, that's why they continue for days, or even weeks. When high - pressure systems form above hot soil in regions such as the Sahara, the sustainability of the system generates even warmer temperatures because the already warm air gets warmer.

According to the Italian Meteorological Association, the Cerberus heat wave is expected to continue for about two weeks.

What role does climate change play?

High atmospheric pressure systems, such as the one that currently affects Europe, have increased in the direction of the north in recent years. It is difficult to attribute a single event, such as a heat wave, directly climate change.

But as temperatures continue to rise, we are seeing changes in climate circulation patterns that can lead to increased extreme temperatures and drought in Europe.

Research of the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change confirms something like that. His data shows an increase in the frequency and size of extreme weather events since the 1950s.

In the summer of 2022, South Europe experienced temperatures higher than usual for that period of the year. Spain, France and Italy registered maximum daily temperatures of over 40 °C, abcnews.al reports.

The EU's service for Climate Change Copernicus attributed these extremely hot climate change conditions and suggested that such events will likely become more frequent, intense and last longer in the future, showing a disturbing trend that could continue this year.

Dangers of Extreme Warming

Hot waves and extreme temperatures affect human health in many ways.

These conditions can cause heat shocks by leading to symptoms such as headaches and dizziness. Dehydration from heat can cause problems with breathing and heart.

There have already been reports of heat-related health incidents in Europe during the ongoing heat wave. An employee in Italy died and had numerous cases of heat shock throughout Spain and Italy

The Italian Health Ministry has advised residents and visitors in the affected areas to take precautions on how to stay hydrated and avoid alcohol consumption.

But the effects of heat waves go beyond individual health. They also have broader social and economic consequences. The heat waves could also lead to reduced water availability, affecting electricity production, harvest irrigation and drinking water supply.

In 2022 the burning heat meant that French nuclear plants were unable to work at full capacity, as the highest river temperatures and lower water levels affected their cooling ability, reports abcnews.al.

Research shows that extreme heat has already had a negative impact on economic growth in Europe, lowering it to 0.5% over the past decade.

As temperatures continue to rise, heat waves will become more severe. It is essential that governments worldwide take quick and decisive action to immediately reduce greenhouse emissions.

It is important to note, however, that even if we were to stop global greenhouse emissions completely today, the climate will continue to warm up. While we can slow down the scale of global warming, the effects of climate change will continue to feel even in the future.