Heatwave Worldwide

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Europe’s hottest city battles to keep its cool as tourists arrive for another scorching summer

Athens CNN  — Climbing to the top of the Acropolis of Athens, the birthplace of democracy, has always been a feat for the brave. Never more so, perhaps, than in recent summers when the city has sweated through long and perilous heatwaves.

https://www.cnn.com/2025/05/28/travel/athens-heat-greece-tourism-summer?

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Extreme weather

Global temperatures are forecast to reach record or near-record levels during the next five years, according to a report from two of the world’s top meteorological agencies. The World Meteorological Organization and the UK Met Office predict there is now a 70% chance that global warming will exceed 1.5 degrees Celsius, a rate that will increase the risks of more frequent and intense weather events, such as heat waves and heavy rainfall. “We have just experienced the 10 warmest years on record. Unfortunately, this WMO report provides no sign of respite over the coming years, and this means that there will be a growing negative impact on our economies, our daily lives, our ecosystems and our planet,” WMO Deputy Secretary-General Ko Barrett said.

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Greenland and Iceland saw record heat in May. What does that mean for the world? Human-caused climate change boosted Iceland and Greenland’s temperatures by several degrees during a record-setting May heat wave, raising concerns about the far-reaching implications melting Arctic ice has for weather around the world, scientists said in an analysis released Wednesday. Read more.

Why this matters: As the Greenland ice sheet melts, it releases massive amounts of fresh water into the salty oceans. Scientists say this could slow down the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, an ocean current that circulates water from the Gulf of Mexico across the Atlantic Ocean to Europe and then the Arctic. Such a slowdown could disturb global climate and weather patterns.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ High Seas Treaty gains momentum as 18 new countries pledge support   WATCH: Emperor penguin population decline worse than predicted, according to study   Lawsuits aim to hold fossil fuel companies responsible for climate change. Here’s a look at some

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Current heatwave ‘likely to kill almost 600 people in England and Wales’

Almost 600 people are expected to die early in the heatwave roasting England and Wales, a rapid analysis has found.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/jun/21/heatwave-expected-deaths-england-and-wales-analysis?

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A Continent of Heat

Wildfires in Europe killed at least three people yesterday—two in Spain and one in Albania. Thousands of people have been evacuated as blazes broke out across parts of Spain, France, Greece, Portugal, Turkey, and the Balkans.    In many places, the danger is compounded by a dayslong heat wave caused by a persistent high-pressure system pulling warm, dry air across the continent. France and Hungary have seen record-high temperatures, with parts of France placed under the country's highest-level heat alert. Albania, Montenegro, Germany, Spain, Italy, and the UK have also issued heat advisories. Parts of Spain this week witnessed temperatures above 110 degrees Fahrenheit.   Since the 1980s, Europe has outpaced other continents in warming, with temperatures increasing at twice the speed of the global average. That trend is partly attributed to reduced air pollution on the continent; efforts to crack down on aerosols have resulted in reduced cloud cover, enabling more solar radiation to reach land (how climatologists predict trends).

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Deadly heat wave

Europe is already shattering temperature records, with parts of the continent sweltering alarmingly early in the year. Meteorologists say there’s one clear reason why. 📱 Get the new CNN Weather app