Severe weather has hit some countries in Europe in recent days. The UK received its first ever “red heat warning”, while France and Portugal battled massive bushfires as a heat wave wreaked havoc across the continent on the evening of Saturday 16 July.
Temperatures in the UK could rise above 104°F.
In France, two wildfires have consumed a total of at least 27 square miles in the southwest region of the country. There are no reports of casualties from either country.
Wildfires continue to be the worst natural disaster in Portugal, with fires that have left hundreds injured and displaced since last week.
Similar fires have occurred in parts of North Africa, including Spain and Morocco, and in East Asia as far away as China.
The ongoing catastrophe has made hurricanes and natural disasters more frequent and intense, confirming scientists’ earlier assessment of global warming.
Regarding extreme temperatures, various studies indicate that rising global temperatures are causing heat waves to occur seasonally earlier and last longer.
UK red extreme heat warning
(Photo: Photo by Monica Escalera)
The UK Met Office issued its first red extreme heat warning on Friday, covering much of southern England where temperatures could reach 40 degrees Celsius, or 104 degrees Fahrenheit.
The warning is in place for Monday and Tuesday, July 18 and July 19, and local officials are warning the public to travel only when necessary due to the usual hot weather, including health problems, heatstroke and other heat-related illnesses.
Jonathan Erdmann, The Weather Channel’s senior meteorologist, reports that no one alive has ever seen a temperature of 40 degrees Celsius in the UK.
The meteorologist compared it to the hottest day in the cities of Dallas or Houston in Texas, United States. And much less in London.
The UK Meteorological Agency says no extreme temperatures are forecast for Great Britain.
The current highest recorded temperature was a scorching 38.7 degrees Celsius (102 degrees Fahrenheit) in Cambridge in July 2019.
Also read: “Rich in Life” – Baby Swift is suffering from a heat wave of 100 degrees.
Wildfires of Europe
Wildfires have forced the evacuation of thousands of people in France, Portugal and Spain as well as Morocco in the past week as heatwaves have swept across Europe.
It comes as extreme heat brings temperatures above 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit) in much of Europe and North Africa, The Guardian reported.
A wildfire sparked by a heat wave in Portugal has left one dead and at least 135 injured.
The country’s civil protection authority said that since Sunday, July 10, nearly 800 people have been displaced from their homes.
As of Thursday, July 14, Portugal has deployed at least 2,000 firefighters to put out the blazes, with 28 active fires recorded.
As some parts of the country recorded unprecedented temperatures on Wednesday, July 13, fires started to flare up.
Related Article: Some UK counties are set to experience scattered showers ahead of a major heatwave.
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