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Europe Set for Unusually Hot Weather in First Blast of Summer - BLOOMBERG
Y , Bloomberg News
, Copernicus Climate Change Service
(Bloomberg) -- Europe is bracing for its first hot spell of the summer, with Germany and the Nordics set for unusually high temperatures next week.
In Berlin, the maximum temperature is set to soar to 28C (82F) on May 30, according to Weather Services International. That means the German capital will see demand for cooling offices and homes well before air conditioners are usually turned on.
Sea surface temperatures in the North Atlantic have soared to their highest in at least 40 years, suggesting the coming summer will be hotter than usual. March was the Earth’s 10th consecutive month of record-breaking heat, with populations across much of the northern and southern hemispheres experiencing temperatures overshooting climate targets.
On the Greek island of Crete, the mercury climbed to 38.6C over the weekend, according to Meteo Gr. Temperatures are forecast to remain above the norm in the coming days.
The heat will boost power demand for cooling and could lead to price spikes in countries, such as Italy and Spain, that rely on air conditioning. In southern Spain, Seville is forecast to experience highs of 35C on May 27, while the capital Madrid will exceed 30C for the first time this year.
Nordic capitals are also set for much hotter weather than usual. In Oslo, the mean temperature is forecast to rise as high as 19C on May 24, 8 degrees above the 30-year norm. Helsinki is expected to be 7 degrees above the norm that day, while Stockholm is forecast to exceed the norm by 6 degrees on May 31.
Global warming is not only increasing the intensity of heat waves — with 2023 the hottest year on record — but also hurricanes and typhoons as warmer water and moister air provide additional fuel for storms. The past 12 months have been 1.58C above pre-industrial temperatures, exceeding the 1.5C limit that policymakers and scientists warn could threaten life on the planet.
