As Europe records its hottest-ever March, discover several reasons behind the continent’s rising temperatures and its heatwaves…
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While the planet continues to grapple with the impact of warming, there’s one continent being affected particularly: Europe. In the last 30 years, its temperatures have increased by more than double the global average.
The effects of such an increase are now beginning to be realised. A study published earlier this year suggested temperature-related deaths in European cities could increase by up to 50 per cent by the end of the century without any climate change mitigation policies.
So, why exactly is Europe so warm?
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With the recent announcement by Copernicus that Europe recorded its hottest-ever March this year – and temperatures way above average in eastern Europe and southwest Russia – here we run through two key reasons exacerbated by climate change that explain the continent’s warming temperatures, and the numerous heatwaves it experiences:
1) Ice melt in the Arctic
Compared to other continents, Europe is relatively close to the Arctic, a region experiencing the effects of climate change and global warming acutely.
One such consequence facing the Arctic is that of ice melt. Each decade, the Arctic sea ice shrinks by 12.2 per cent, adding around 6000 cubic kilometres of water to the world’s ocean. So vast is this volume of water that it would overspill out of the Grand Canyon.
It’s the changes in this sea ice which can interfere with weather patterns across Europe – both droughts and heatwaves alike.
When ice-water enters the North Atlantic Ocean, it lies on top of heavier ocean saltwater without mixing properly. This creates a patch of surface water known as a ‘cold blob’ – which a recent study has linked to the existence of heatwaves and droughts across Europe during summer months. Published inWeather and Climate Dynamics, the study will also enable scientists to predict when extreme summer heat months will occur, helping farmers, industries and other sectors to plan accordingly for particular weather patterns.
Scientists say that this type of warming will accumulate on top of the temperature rises already happening because of climate change.
2) Atmospheric currents
At Europe’s latitude, atmospheric currents are warmer compared to regions at similar latitudes around the world. Although this might begin to explain slight temperature increases, the vast differences between Europe and the rest of the world cannot be attributed to this alone.
However, a more unusual weather phenomenon related to atmospheric currents can also impact the continent and its temperature. This is known as a ‘double jet stream’, when the fast-moving flow of air – around 10 kilometres above the Northern Hemisphere’s surface – splits into two bands, rather than its usual one.
According to Copernicus, climate change can lead to such changes in atmospheric circulation in the jet stream.
In recent years, occurrences of such a weather phenomenon have been on the rise, and in a study published in Nature Communications, have been linked to an upward trend in heatwaves particularly in western regions of the continent. These double jet streams may also lead to persistent weather patterns.
The future for Europe
For Europe, the upcoming years are projected to get even hotter. According to the European Climate and Health Observatory, average temperatures along with the frequency, intensity and duration of heatwaves will likely increase.
In particular, such rises will impact elderly individuals and those living in cities due to the urban heat island effect – a phenomenon whereby a developed area experiences higher temperatures compared to its nearby rural areas.
Having said that, many countries across the continent are working hard to help mitigate some of these effects. For example, the EU saw a 37 per cent drop in its emissions in 2023 compared with 1990 levels, thanks to an uptick in clean energy usage combined with a deviation away from more planet-polluting fossil fuels. In 2050, the goal is to reduce emissions by 55 per cent.
Ultimately, it’s a long process for Europe, along with the rest of the world, to turn the tide on the trend of global warming. More stringent and comprehensive action will need to be continued if the continent is to veer away from projections of an ever-warming future.
