**** Info via Environment Canada
Europe’s record-breaking heat wave
Over the last week, parts of Europe have been in the grips of a devastating heat wave, with new record-breaking temperatures being set.
This week’s temperatures in the United Kingdom (UK) were above 40 °C for the first time in recorded history. Coningsby, in eastern England, hit 40.3 °C on Tuesday, July 19th, setting the highest ever recorded temperature in the UK. The UK Met Office issued its first-ever Red Warning for the heat wave, indicating that heat related illness may occur even among the “fit and healthy,” not just high-risk groups.
For the first time temperatures of 40 °C were forecast in the UK. Source: UK Met Office.
The extreme heat has also spread over Portugal, Spain and France and is moving east into Central Europe. In Portugal, temperatures reached highs up to around 46 °C. Cities in Belgium and the Netherlands logged temperatures above 38 °C on Tuesday, just shy of records in a July 2019 heat wave. In Germany, Hamburg hit 40.1 °C on Wednesday, the farthest-north location to top 40 °C in the country. Denmark also hit record-breaking temperatures on Wednesday in Abed, hitting 35.9 °C, setting a national temperature record for July and the second highest in any month. Over the last few days, dozens, if not hundreds, of records have fallen across many European countries.
In the meantime, France, Portugal, Spain, Greece and Croatia have been battling wildfires for days or even weeks.
Fire Danger Forecast for Europe indicating very extreme danger in dark purple, and extreme danger in purple for many areas with hot conditions, worsening the wildfire risk. Source: ECMWF.
Heat waves in Canada
Earlier this week, most of eastern Canada (from southern Ontario to western Quebec and most of the Maritime Provinces) was under a heat warning. In many locations, temperatures reached the mid-30, with a humidex reaching over 40 in some locations. Heat warnings are slated to continue for many locations in the Maritimes over the weekend.
Humidity values for Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes from July 19th to 21st.
A heat wave also affected western Canada from July 14th to 17th, where temperatures reached 36.2 °C in the Interior of British Columbia, 35.4 °C in Alberta, 39.2 °C in Saskatchewan and 34.2 °C in Manitoba. It felt even hotter in many spots, with humidex values reaching 37 in British Columbia, 39 in Alberta, 42 in Saskatchewan and 48 in Manitoba.
Daily maximum temperatures in Western Canada over the period of July 14th to 17th.
The planet’s average temperature has risen by 1.1 °C since pre-industrial levels, largely because of the significant increase in greenhouse gases that human activity has unleashed. Scientists have warned for years that more frequent and intense heat waves would be one of the most direct consequences of climate change.
As temperatures remain high during the summer months, please ensure you and your loved ones stay cool and hydrated.
