2024 European heatwaves

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2024 European heatwaves
AreasGreece, Italy, Ukraine, Croatia, Serbia, North Macedonia, Moldova, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Czech Republic, Montenegro, Romania
Start dateJune 2024
End dateOngoing
Peak temp. 44.5 °C (112.1 °F), recorded at Crete, Greece on 13 June 2024
Losses
Deaths9+

Europe has been affected by heat waves since June 2024, breaking several regional temperature records across multiple nations in Southern and Central Europe.

Background

Further information: Climate change in Europe

The European Union's Copernicus and the World Meteorological Organization reported in April 2024 that Europe was Earth's most rapidly warming continent, with temperatures rising at a rate twice as high as the global average rate, and that Europe's 5-year average temperatures were 2.3 °C higher relative to pre-industrial temperatures compared to 1.3 °C for the rest of the world. Both organizations predicted that Europe's "intensifying climate extremes" would contribute to significantly increased "record temperatures, wildfires, heat waves, glacier ice loss, and lack of snowfall".[1]

By country

Albania

Albania suffered its first 2024 heatwave in June, causing temporary power outages.[2]

Extreme heat throughout Albania in July 2024 pushed the government to alter Albanian civil servants' working hours for so they could avoid the worst daytime temperatures.[3] Several forest fires occurred in the beginning of July.[4] A 72-year-old man died at his farm in Memaliaj, suspected by health authorities to have been caused by heat stroke.[5][6]

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnia suffered from temporary power outages in June 2024 worsened by a heat wave, causing traffic lights to shut down in Sarajevo.[2] Mostar had temperatures reach 40 °C (104 °F) for six days in a row from 11 to 17 July.[7]

Croatia

Croatia suffered from temporary power outages in June 2024 exacerbated by extreme heat, causing most pubs, restaurants, and supermarkets to close in Dubrovnik. Traffic systems went out of order due to blackouts in Split, causing traffic congestion.[2]

In July 2024, the Adriatic Sea reached its highest recorded temperature at 29.5 °C (85.1 °F) along several coastal regions in Croatia.[8] Croatia issued its a red weather alert on 12 July due to high temperatures and risk of heat stroke, its highest level alert.[9]

Czech Republic

Temperatures in the capital of Prague reached 34 °C (93.2 °F) on 10 July.[4]

Greece

At least six tourists died in June 2024 while hiking in Greece during unusually high temperatures reaching 40 °C (104 °F) in several areas and as high as 44.5 °C (112.1 °F) on the island of Crete. Victims of extreme heat and exhaustion included a 67-year old German on the island of Crete, a 55-year-old American on the island of Mathraki, a Dutch tourist on the island of Samos, and British television presenter Michael Mosley on the island of Symi. Three more tourists were reported as missing, including two French women touring the island of Sikinos and a 59-year-old American police officer on the island of Amorgos.[10][11]

Greek authorities reported on 2 July that the nation faced its highest risk of wildfires in over two decades.[12] Several forest fires occurred in Corinth and the island of Lesbos in early July. Heat warnings were issued in the Athens region and throughout central Greece on 11 July, with the warning extended to northeastern regions on 12 July.[4] Throughout mid-July, Greece banned outdoor work during the hottest times of the day, which included manual labour, construction work, and deliveries.[5] Extreme heat in Greece forced authorities to close the Acropolis several times during midday throughout June and July to prevent tourist heat-related illnesses.[3]

Italy

During July 2024, temperatures in Italy reached peaks of 40 °C (104 °F),[8] prompting the Italian government to issue excessive heat warnings for thirteen cities which included Rome, Trieste, and Palermo. Two firefighters were killed while fighting a wildfire in the Basilicata region.[3] Italy's civil protection service reported eighteen calls in southern regions requiring assistance with quenching wildfires. Rome's zoo planned to provide ice and popsicles to several animals to prevent overheating.[5]

Moldova

Chișinău temperatures exceeded 40 °C (104 °F) in mid-July.[7]

North Macedonia

As a result of extreme heat and a lack of rainfall, North Macedonia suffered from roughly 200 wildfires since the start of July, causing one firefighter injury. Dozens of wildfires were reported in a 24-hour period on 16–17 July, primarily occurring in the eastern region of the nation and requiring international firefighting assistance from Turkey, Serbia, Montenegro, Romania, and Croatia.[3] One of the wildfires extended to nearly 30 kilometers (21 miles) in width. To reduce the likelihood of new wildfires starting, the North Macedonian government issued a one-month state of emergency that included a ban on entering forest areas.[7]

Montenegro

As a result of extreme heat in June 2024 affecting the Balkans, Montenegro's electrical grid was overloaded from increased electricity consumption, causing a blackout that affected almost the entire country for several hours.[2]

Temperatures reached a record high of 39 °C (102 °F) in the capital of Podgorica on 10 July.[4]

Romania

Bucharest temperatures exceeded 40 °C (104 °F) in mid-July.[7]

Serbia

The intensity of the July 2024 heatwave in Serbia caused the Rusanda salt lake in Vojvodina province to dry up for the first time in recorded history.[7] On 11 July, several doctors reported treating many citizens who suffered from headaches, dizziness, or loss of consciousness due to the 35 °C (95 °F) temperature.[4] Serbian capital Belgrade recorded a record high temperature on 16 July at 38.4 °C (101.1 °F),[8] with the state power company reporting that Serbia reached its record daily energy consumption on the same day due to widespread air conditioning use.[5]

Ukraine

In July 2024, Ukraine suffered from a heatwave impacting the entire nation, with temperatures reaching a peak of 40 °C (104 °F), and Kyiv surpassing its temperature record on 15 July at 34.2 °C (93.5 °F).[13][14] The heat wave worsened the strain on Ukraine's power grid already damaged by persistent Russian drone and missile attacks, with state electricity company Ukrenergo reporting that electricity consumption exceeded the generating capacity of Ukraine's running power facilities. The strain on the power grid forced utility authorities to impose widespread blackouts throughout several Ukrainian regions, including Kharkiv, Sumy, Poltava, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk and Kirovohrad oblasts. In addition, most buildings in Kyiv were without power for at least ten hours a day.[14][15]

State meteorologists forecasted that the prolonged extreme heat could cause up to 30% declines in late crop harvests in southern, eastern, and central regions, resulting in significant economic losses.[13]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Europe is warming twice as fast as other continents, report warns". Euronews. 2024-04-22. Retrieved 2024-07-18.
  2. ^ a b c d "Balkan countries suffer blackouts amid major heatwave". DW. 2024-06-21. Retrieved 2024-07-17.
  3. ^ a b c d "Greece shuts Acropolis, 2 firefighters killed in Italy as southern Europe swelters in a heat wave". AP News. 2024-07-17. Retrieved 2024-07-17.
  4. ^ a b c d e "'It's hell outside': Sizzling heat wave in parts of southern and central Europe prompts alerts". AP News. 2024-07-11. Retrieved 2024-07-17.
  5. ^ a b c d "Red alerts and outdoor work bans as heatwaves sweep across Europe". Euronews. 2024-07-17. Retrieved 2024-07-17.
  6. ^ "Heat Wave Claims First Victim in Albania". Albania Daily News. 16 July 2024. Retrieved 2024-07-18.
  7. ^ a b c d e "Europe: Scorching heatwave bakes Greece, Balkan region". DW. 2024-07-17. Retrieved 2024-07-17.
  8. ^ a b c "Lakes dry up and seas hit by record temperatures as Europe bakes through heatwave". The Independent. 2024-07-17. Retrieved 2024-07-17.
  9. ^ "Red alert issued in Croatia over heatwave". Euronews. 2024-07-13. Retrieved 2024-07-17.
  10. ^ "Tourist death toll from Greek heat wave rises to 6, others missing". Reuters. 24 June 2024. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
  11. ^ "German tourist, 68, found dead on Greek island". The Guardian. Agence France-Presse. 2024-06-24. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-07-18.
  12. ^ "Italy, Croatia, Serbia: Europeans struggle to cope as heatwaves strike". Euronews. 2024-07-11. Retrieved 2024-07-17.
  13. ^ a b Kovalenko, Yurii; Lyubysh-Kirdey, Ivan (16 July 2024). "Ukrainians struggle with scorching heat amid power crisis". Reuters. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
  14. ^ a b Méheut, Constant (2024-07-17). "Ukraine's Devastated Energy Grid Battles a New Foe: A Sizzling Heat Wave". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-07-17.
  15. ^ "Ukraine starts emergency power cuts amid record heatwave". Reuters. 16 July 2024. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
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