A devastating heat wave is sweeping parts of the Northern Hemisphere, as some cities face dangerously high temperatures.
Where the maximum temperature forecast for Tuesday is very high
Source: Climate Reanalyzer, Climate Change Institute, University of Maine, using data from the National Center for Environmental Forecasting’s Global Forecast System
In Europe, much of Italy is in the heat, with temperatures expected to reach 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius) in the central and southern parts of the country. They are capable of climbing even higher in the southern Italian islands. Rising temperatures and strong winds have caused wildfires in coastal towns in Greece, The canary islands and a coastal village in Croatia.
The sweltering temperatures are also reaching China and the Middle East, where the heat index – which measures how hot it is outside by taking into account temperature and humidity – has reached levels life-threatening level.
In the United States, blistering temperatures are predicted to occur in southeastern California, southern Arizona, Texas and throughout the Southeast.
Where Tuesday’s forecast is warmer than usual
Warmer or cooler than the 1979-2000 average on July 18
Source: Climate Reanalyzer, Climate Change Institute, University of Maine, using data from the National Center for Environmental Forecasting’s Global Forecast System
According to researchers at the World Meteorological Organization, last month was the warmest June on Earth on record, and scientists have said that the first two weeks of July were the hottest since at least 1940’s.
The heat waves are particularly driven by the continued emissions of heat-trapping gases, mainly from fossil fuel burning, and partly by the return of El Nino, a cyclical weather pattern that has trends associated with warmer years globally.
Hot surface air temperatures are also associated with marine heatwaves. The waters near Florida and the Caribbean reached the 90s Fahrenheit last weekpose a serious threat to coral reefs and other marine life.
