Talking in Geneva, WMO spokesperson Clare Nullis mentioned {that a} new altitude file for the freezing level had been set a day earlier, climbing to five,298 metres (17,381 ft) – nicely above Europe’s very highest peaks together with Mont Blanc, at 4,811 metres (15,784 ft).
WMO figures present that that is 115 metres above the earlier file of 25 July 2022 and the best since measurements started in 1954.
Chilling impact
Ms. Nullis defined that the freezing degree had been measured by a Meteo-Suisse climate balloon above Payerne within the western canton of Vaud.
“The affect of this warmth on glaciers is taking part in out earlier than our eyes,” she mentioned. “The freezing degree within the glaciers, [and] the disappearance of snow was dramatic final 12 months. Sadly, with this newest heatwave, that development is continuous.”
In the meantime, massive elements of Switzerland are on degree three amber alert or the top-level pink alert till Thursday, the WMO spokesperson mentioned.
Temperatures in a lot of the southern half of France are forecast to be “above 37°C” on Tuesday, “reaching a peak of 40°C to 42°C within the Drome area.
The warmth is on
The WMO spokesperson identified that French nationwide climate forecaster Météo-France had issued an amber alert for 49 departments and a pink alert for 4. The French nationwide meteorological service mentioned that quite a few station information had fallen – each most daytime temperatures and minimal in a single day ones, which have a selected affect on well being.
Ms. Nullis warned that there have been additionally pink alerts in elements of Italy, Croatia and Portugal and widespread amber warmth alerts in neighbouring international locations.
Then again, elements of Europe and specifically Scandinavia have seen “unusually heavy precipitation. Norway as soon as once more on Tuesday issued a pink alert for heavy rainfall, “a life-threatening threat within the southern a part of the nation”, Ms. Nullis added.
In response to questions concerning the how many individuals are in danger from the unrelenting warmth, UN World Well being Group (WHO) spokesperson, Tarik Jašarević, mentioned that statistics from final summer time confirmed that greater than 61,000 folks had died from heat-related causes in 35 European international locations through the summer time months final 12 months.
Glacier marker
The affect of maximum temperatures on glaciers is beneath investigation, however the results of the heatwave are clear, with snow cowl now current solely on the highest elevations in Switzerland, in accordance with WMO.
The UN company defines heatwaves as “a interval of statistically uncommon scorching climate persisting for plenty of days and nights”. The present baseline used to gauge how excessive situations are is the 30-year interval from 1991 to 2020.
Though the meteorological summer time is coming to an finish within the northern hemisphere, it’s unimaginable to state with any certainty whether or not the present heatwave would be the final this season.
And though there had been knowledgeable discussions on naming heatwaves in the identical manner as tropical cyclones, WMO has no plans to take action, sustaining that the 2 climate methods usually are not comparable and that such a transfer may detract from public security messaging.
Americas alert
Exterior Europe, sweltering situations have continued in a lot of the central and southern US, with a number of extreme warmth warnings issued within the central Plains States and Texas.
Tropical cyclone exercise within the Atlantic has additionally been “ramping up”, mentioned Ms. Nullis, including that three tropical methods – Gert, Franklin, and Harold – have been of “specific concern”.
Franklin has introduced the danger of flooding to Haiti and the Dominican Republic, whereas Harold is predicted to make landfall in southern Texas bringing very heavy rainfall and the danger of flash-flooding at a time when the state was battling excessive warmth and drought.
Ms. Nullis mentioned that hurricane Hilary had now dissipated however had reached elements of southern California, which not often witnessed such rainfall totals.
Nearly all precipitation information in Los Angeles had been damaged, the WMO official added, noting that Demise Valley has simply seen its all-time wettest day on file, with 2.20 inches (55.88 mm) of rainfall, breaking the earlier file of 1.70 inches set in August 2022.
In a associated improvement, WMO’s Better Horn of Africa Climate Discussion board was attributable to meet on Tuesday, earlier than issuing its newest replace for the remainder of the 12 months.
