Extreme heat wave to hit Europe: What to expect this summer

Water in the heat is a heavenly pleasure (photo: Getty Images)

Long-term forecasts by meteorologists and weather forecasters indicate that the summer of 2024 will be at least very warm in most of Europe. In some places, people are promised a real heat wave.

RBC-Ukraine tells what the weather in Europe might be like.

Summer in Europe

According to meteorologists, Europe is the fastest-warming continent in the world. Last year, much of southern Europe experienced prolonged periods of extreme heat with temperatures reaching almost 48 degrees Celsius in some places.

In the summer of 2024, Europeans in many countries will also face a real heat wave, so some cities are already preparing for the challenges ahead.

Greece, Italy, Croatia, and France traditionally remain popular among travelers during summer vacations. In some places, a separate position has even been created - a chief heat supply specialist who works on creating protocols designed to make the lives of locals and tourists more comfortable amid high temperatures.

Elisaveta Bargianni, Chief Heat Supply Specialist of Athens says heat is a silent killer and forecasts for the coming years show that it will only get worse. That's why they are redesigning their city and making changes to adapt to this.

Experts also recommend using the specialized EXTREMA Global application designed to protect against extreme temperatures.

EXTREMA Global app (screenshot: play.google.com/store)

It allows you to assess health risks in the heat in real time, gives advice on the nearest cool locations, and helps you create an interesting and safe tourist route.

Those travelers who prefer a cooler climate are advised to visit Norway, Slovenia, Switzerland, Sweden, or Finland.

What Ukrainians should prepare for

According to Vira Balabukh, PhD in Geography, head of the Department of Applied Meteorology and Climatology at the Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Institute of the State Emergency Service and the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, the weather in Ukraine this summer can bring many surprises.

According to her, there will be a heat wave in the summer of 2024, but we may not expect any records.

“Both calculations and expert estimates suggest that our summer may be hot. However, if before it was said that it could be the hottest, now they are more cautious about it. It is possible that this summer will not be the hottest. Although it will be quite warm,” the expert clarifies.

Not everyone likes high temperatures (illustration: pixabay.com)

This situation is due to several factors, including, in particular, atmospheric circulation over a long period against the background of the oceans.

“One such phenomenon observed in the ocean is the Southern Oscillation. That is, in the equatorial latitudes of the Pacific Ocean, we have El Niño and La Niña, which are the rise or cooling of equatorial waters, which then significantly affect the circulation,” the meteorologist explains.

In addition, temperature indicators may depend on solar activity.

“Do you know about these solar cycles? 11-year cycles. So now we are in the 25th cycle of solar radiation. And, accordingly, the maximum activity will be observed until October. And this factor may also affect the fact that the air temperature in summer may be higher than normal,” the expert summarizes.

Read also what kind of weather Europe should prepare for in the coming months.

Sources: The New York Times, UNIAN.