ارتفاع ضغط الطقس يهدد حرارة أعلى في أوروبا الغربية

London set a new all-time high temperature record for May at approximately 95°F (35°C), while parts of France hit 99°F (37°C) and Spain saw temperatures surpass 100°F (38°C).

High-Pressure Air Blocks Atmospheric Mixing

A "heat dome" currently hanging over Western Europe is essentially a large blob of high-pressure air that traps hot air like a Dutch oven. This high-pressure area is actively blocking atmospheric mixing, cloud formation, and rainfall, while allowing the sun's rays to continuously warm the land across much of the region.

According to a study released by the French research organization ClimaMeter, heat conditions leading up to this event were as high as 4.5°F (2.5°C) above historic temperatures. This buildup has contributed to the high-pressure area that is preventing the normal dispersal of heat.

Climate Change Drives Extremes

Friederike Otto, a professor of climate science at Imperial College London, noted that temperatures on this scale were once exceptional even during the height of summer. The current event is being exacerbated by climate change, which is pushing hot air toward more extreme thresholds.

Early heat waves are particularly dangerous because human bodies have not had sufficient time to adapt to the heat following the cooler winter months. In France, officials have already reported seven deaths linked to the high temperatures.

Record-breaking heat will continue to tumble until global emissions are fundamentally halted and net zero is reached, according to Otto. This event highlights how current buildings and infrastructure are woefully unprepared for the shifting climate reality.

Source: Why a 'heat dome' over Europe is shattering temperature records right now
Domain: scientificamerican.com