A firefighter tries to extinguish a forest fire near the village of Kandyli, near Athens, Greece, July 19, 2023. REUTERS/Stelios Misinas TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
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A firefighter tries to extinguish a forest fire near the village of Kandyli, near Athens, Greece, July 19, 2023. REUTERS/Stelios Misinas TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
Greece faced its hottest July weekend in 50 years on Saturday, with temperatures expected to exceed 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit), while a record heatwave spread across southern states -United is expected to expand in the coming days.
Tens of millions of people across the northern hemisphere have suffered intense heat this summer as the world appears headed for its hottest July on record.
As temperature records fall, experts have pointed the finger at climate change caused by the burning of fossil fuels, saying global warming plays a key role in destructive weather patterns.
Across the southern United States, about 80 million Americans will experience temperatures of 41 degrees Celsius and above this weekend, the National Weather Service (NWS) said.
The nation’s worst heat of up to 46C is forecast in Phoenix, Arizona, which has seen three straight weeks of records above 43C.
Hellish scenes unfolded in the city on Thursday when a massive fire broke out at a propane company near the international airport, causing tanks to explode in the air.
“Unfortunately, on a hot day like this, these propane tanks, with this expansion of heat, literally become missiles… They can travel over 500 yards (yards),” said Fire Capt. Rob McDade on KPHO television station.
Tourists, meanwhile, flock to Death Valley National Park, which straddles the California-Nevada border, to post temperature selfies outside the visitor center .
Many hope to see it beat a world record of 56.7°C, set in July 1913 but which was probably the result of an erroneous measurement, according to several meteorologists.
Absolute warmest month
Either way, July 2023 is on track to become the hottest absolute month – not only since records began, but also in “hundreds, if not thousands of years,” said climate scientist Gavin Schmidt. from NASA.
The effects cannot be attributed solely to the El Nino weather phenomenon, which is “just emerging” and is not expected to strengthen until later in the year.
El Nino is associated with warming ocean surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean.
Schmidt said the trend toward extreme heat is expected to persist, “and the reason we think it’s going to continue is because we continue to put greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.”
Greece, which is battling dozens of forest fires, has warned its people not to venture out unnecessarily because of the scorching heat.
The exceptional temperatures also mean that key tourist sites such as the Acropolis will be closed during the hottest hours of the day.
“This weekend is likely to be the hottest July recorded in the last 50 years,” said Panagiotis Giannopoulos, a meteorologist at public broadcaster ERT.
“In Athens, temperatures will exceed 40 degrees Celsius for six to seven days, until the end of July.”
Such a prolonged period of scorching temperatures is exceptional for the Greek capital.
On Sunday, the city will likely face temperatures of up to 44°C, with the central region of Thessaly expected to endure temperatures of 45°C.
A 46-year-old man is believed to have died of heatstroke on the central Greek island of Euboea after being admitted to Chalkida hospital, which said cardio-respiratory failure following exposure to high temperatures seemed to be the cause.
The national meteorological institute EMY previously reported temperatures of 41°C in the Attica region, which encompasses the capital Athens, and predicted up to 44°C in Thessaly.
Yannis Kallianos, meteorologist for the private channel Mega, spoke of an “interminable and powerful heat wave”.
“According to the latest forecasts, the heatwave could last until next Thursday or Friday,” Kallianos warned, adding that strong northerly winds could also spark fires.
Authorities said firefighters were still battling 79 wildfires across the country, and their spokesman Vassilios Vathrakoyannis said Greece would be on alert over the weekend.
Greece is just one of several countries grappling with a prolonged period of extreme heat around the world in recent days.
