The first heatwave of the season is set to sweep across Europe over the coming week, causing temperatures in the UK, France, and Spain to reach monthly records, Bloomberg reports, according to UNN.
Details
According to meteorologists' forecasts, a high-pressure heat dome, which heats the air by compressing it toward the ground, will linger and push temperatures up to 11°C above normal. According to the UK Met Office, the unusual heat will intensify over the UK bank holiday weekend, and by Monday, daytime temperatures in London and other parts of England will rise to 33°C.
"This could be a quite notable event when it comes to the heat," said Annie Shuttleworth, a meteorologist at the UK Met Office.
Heat-health alerts have been issued in the UK for England until Wednesday, including amber warnings for London, the Midlands, as well as eastern and southern regions.
Long-term weather patterns on the world's fastest-warming continent are conducive to frequent heatwaves and extreme heat in the coming months, especially as high temperatures begin to suck moisture from soils in the northern half of Europe, meteorologists say.
"This can lock in a high-pressure system that further intensifies the heat, raises temperatures, which further suppresses precipitation — and a positive feedback loop occurs," said Amy Hodgson, a meteorologist at Atmospheric G2.
Heatwaves occur when several consecutive days of temperatures above seasonal climatic norms are recorded. For example, in London, the UK Met Office forecasts a heatwave if temperatures are expected to reach or exceed 28°C for at least three consecutive days.
The French government forecasting service Météo-France expects climate change to lead to heat at the beginning and end of the summer season. In the coming days, maximum temperatures will rise to 31°C in Paris and up to 35°C in the southwest of the country, the report says.
According to the government forecasting service AEMET, the most extreme heat is expected in Spain, with possible highs of up to 38°C in the Guadiana and Guadalquivir regions. Spanish authorities issued a yellow heat warning along the northern coast and in parts of the east and west for Friday.
The heat is projected to bring a calmer and drier transition to a month characterized by unstable temperatures and occasional storms. Sunny, stable weather means clearer skies, which is projected to increase solar energy production over the next week and reduce the strain from rising cooling demand, according to BNEF analysis.
According to modeling from MetDesk, strong solar energy production is expected to continue across northwestern Europe next week.
A calmer atmosphere creates a more mixed picture for wind generation, which is projected to be low in France and Germany over the weekend. According to analysis by MetDesk meteorologist Ben Davis, the situation could change next week with a shift to more northerly winds.
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