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Have you noticed something about the western media?
When there's a heat wave in India or Pakistan they show people suffering in the heat. When in happens in the West they show people lounging in deckchairs by the beach although, as we know from precedent, many people will die from this heat wave.
A
shruggie-shaped heat wave is roasting England, France and Spain
2
July, 2015
UPDATED Thursday
9:00 a.m ET:
The European heat wave has spread to Belgium and the Netherlands, as
well as Germany, where Dusseldorf's temperature of 36.1 degrees
Celsius, or 97 degrees Fahrenheit, as of 8:30 a.m. ET was almost 22
degrees Celsius (40 degrees Fahrenheit) above average for this time
of year.
Meanwhile,
the heat is temporarily abating on Friday in parts of Spain, France
and the UK, but the hot weather will come roaring back over the
weekend, with high temperatures once again in the upper 30s to near
40 degrees Celsius in Paris on Friday, and only slightly cooler on
Saturday.
Unusually
mild conditions will also affect Sweden, Norway and Finland on
Thursday through the weekend.
Government
officials in several countries, including France, have been warning
citizens of the dangers of prolonged heat exposure. Europe has a
history of deadly heat events, with a tragic 2003 heat wave resulting
in between 40,000 and 70,000 fatalities, depending on the definition
of a heat-related death.
A
weather pattern that resembles an atmospheric version of
the shruggie —
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
— is directing furnace-like heat toward Spain, France and England
on Wednesday, with high temperatures near 40 degrees Celsius, or 104
degrees Fahrenheit, as far north as Paris.
The
heat wave is also affecting southern parts of England, with
temperatures in the upper 30s Celsius, or mid-to-high 90s Fahrenheit.
Those temperatures on Wednesday were the warmest recorded in the UK
in at least nine years, according to the UK Met Office.
The
heat also made the Wimbledon Tennis Tournament the hottest such
event on
record.
Health authorities in the UK, France and other countries are warning
people to drink lots of clear liquids, seek shaded areas and avoid
extended outdoor activities to minimize their risk of heat stroke and
other heat-related ailments.
Making
the heat worse is the presence of high humidity, which is helping to
keep overnight low temperatures higher than average. This raises the
likelihood of heat-related illnesses, including the possibility of
heat-related deaths, since a lack of an overnight cooling period can
significantly boost the public health threat from a heat wave of this
magnitude.
Summer weather July 1st 2015. Visitors to London enjoy the hot weather in St James's Park in Westminster, as Britain endured the hottest July day on record.
IMAGE:
STEFAN ROUSSEAU/ASSOCIATED PRESS
On
weather maps, the heat wave kind of looks like a giant shruggie at
the jet stream level (about 35,000 feet), with a huge dip or trough
in the jet stream to the west of the UK and France, and a massive
ridge of high pressure parked over central Europe.
This
high pressure center located in the middle is responsible for the
heat, while the upstream and downstream troughs are helping to keep
it locked in place for several days. Such blocking patterns, which
reroute atmospheric traffic for thousands of miles, like a school
crossing guard on a power trip, tend to be associated with extreme
weather events. There appearance and perseverance in recent years may
be related to manmade global warming, but climate scientists are
still investigating whether there are statistically significant
trends and clear evidence of ties to warming, particularly to rapid
warming in the Arctic and the loss of sea ice cover.
Such
blocking patterns are often seen in extreme heat events, including
the historic
heat wave of 2003,
when between 40,000 and 70,000 people are estimated to have died
across western Europe, particularly in France, when temperatures
soared into the low-40s during August, when many doctors were off for
the month and the government was caught unprepared for the event.
Such
a high death toll is not expected from this event, in part because
authorities have learned from mistakes made in 2003, and also because
this heat wave is not quite as severe as that event was. However, the
heat wave is extremely unusual in its severity for this time of year.
Paris
reached its second-highest temperature ever recorded according
to Meteo
France,
with a high temperature of 39.7 degrees Celsius, or 103.5 degrees
Fahrenheit. This falls short of the all-time record of 40.4 degrees
Celsius, or 104.72 degrees Fahrenheit.
Temperatures in Paris are forecasted to stay in the upper 30s Celsius, or upper 90s to low 100s Fahrenheit, for the remainder of the week and into midweek next week.
Temperatures in Paris are forecasted to stay in the upper 30s Celsius, or upper 90s to low 100s Fahrenheit, for the remainder of the week and into midweek next week.
Why are we seeing hot weather? It’s to do with the position of the #jetstream causing warm air to move in from Europe pic.twitter.com/9GZAE4jz3M
— Met Office (@metoffice) July 1, 2015
In
England, the record heat is making the Wimbledon tennis tournament
miserable for fans and players alike, considering that the majority
of tennis courts don't offer any shade.
On
July 1, London's Heathrow International Airport recorded its hottest
July day on record, when the temperature reached 36.7 degrees
Celsius, or 98.06 Fahrenheit. The Met Office said on Twitter that the
previous hottest July day on record in London had been 36.5 degrees
Celsius, set in 2006. The actual high temperature at Heathrow may
still rise slightly, adding to the record margin.
#Wimbledon has had its hottest day ever. Kew Gardens (nearest observation site) has recorded a temperature of 35.7 °C
— Met Office (@metoffice) July 1, 2015
Wednesday
looks to be the hottest day of this heat wave in London, with hot
conditions lasting through Friday before the temperature drops by
more than 10 degrees Celsius over the weekend.
ECMWF weekly forecast expects temperatures to stay above normal for southern and mainland Europe through July pic.twitter.com/bBinaip24o
— WSI Europe Weather (@WSI_EuroEnergy) June 30, 2015
The
unusually mild conditions will spread northeast with time,
potentially affecting parts of Scandinavia, the Baltic states and
parts of Ukraine by next week.
However,
the upper level high pressure area responsible for the heat will be
gradually weakening over time, leading to the end of the extreme heat
event by late next week, based on several computer model forecasts.
Before
then, though, tourists are going to find especially sizzling
conditions in Spain, where high
temperatures in some parts of the country may eclipse 42 degrees
Celsius, or 108 degrees Fahrenheit
high
temperatures in some parts of the country may eclipse 42 degrees
Celsius, or 108 degrees Fahrenheit, jeopardizing longstanding
temperature records.
Spain
has already set monthly high temperature records during the ongoing
heat event, with Madrid establishing a monthly record for June of
39.7 degrees Celsius, or 103.5 degrees Fahrenheit, on June 30. This
beat the old record of 39.1 degrees Celsius, which was set just the
day before.
Also
on Monday, Madrid's Barajas International Airport reached 40 degrees
Celsius, or 104 degrees Fahrenheit, which was a first for the month
of June since records began there in 1945, according to weather.com.
Cordoba,
Spain, was the country's hot spot. The community in southern Spain
reached 43.7 degrees Celsius, or 110.7 degrees Fahrenheit.
Climate
studies have shown that manmade global warming raises the odds of
extreme heat events globally, and also adds to their severity. This
is the case from Texas to California to Europe. A study on the 2003
heat wave found that manmade emissions of greenhouse gases greatly
increased the odds of such an extremely warm summer season. In fact,
some more recent studies have found that it's extremely unlikely that
some exceptionally intense heat events, such as Australia's
record-shattering summer of 2013,
would have happened without global warming.
Concern
on continent as heatwave set to drive temperatures beyond 40C
‘Exceptionally
intense’ conditions prompt weather alerts in Spain, Portugal and
France, with elderly people and children most at risk
30 June, 2015
Several
European governments have issued weather warnings as a heatwave
sweeping through Portugal,
Spain and France pushes temperatures above 40C (104F), raising
concerns for elderly people and children.
Paris,
which has activated its national heatwave emergency plan, is
particularly sensitive to the risks after a European-wide
heatwave in 2003 led to nearly 20,000 deaths,
killing thousands of isolated elderly people in France.
The
French ecology minister, Ségolène Royal, has called on those in
charge of air-conditioned public spaces, such as libraries, cinemas
and shopping malls, to let in the public for respite from the heat.
“I don’t think this heatwave will have the same consequences as
the one in 2003 because we weren’t as prepared at that time,”
Royal said.
Deadly heatwaves will be more frequent in coming decades, say scientists
French
authorities have set up a heatwave register in certain towns where
isolated elderly people can be checked up on by a phonecall or home
visit. Royal recommended that the most vulnerable – older people
and children – wet their heads and hair and wrap themselves in
cool, wet towels.
A
total of 26 departments in France are
on high alert, including the Lot and Dordogne in the south-west,
where temperatures are expected to exceed 40C, as well as Burgundy
and Paris.
The
high temperatures, brought on by a mass of hot air flowing north from
Africa to Europe in
recent days, are expected to last all week and extend further north
to the UK and Belgium.
Health
officials in the UK have urged vulnerable groups including the
elderly, young children and people with breathing difficulties to
stay cool. The All England Lawn Tennis Club has warned spectators and
players at Wimbledon to take measures to combat temperatures expected
to easily exceed 30C (86F) on Tuesday.
“These
are not usual meteorological phenomena, [they are] of an exceptional
intensity and with a very high level of risk for the population,” a
spokesman for Spain’s national weather office said.
Madrid
city hall was advising everyone to remain hydrated by drinking at
least three litres of water per day and avoiding alcohol.
Temperatures in the countryside around Córdoba in
southern Spain were
expected to rise to 44C (111F).
In
the Andalusian capital of Seville, where temperatures reached 42C
(108F), children and adults soaked their feet in city fountains while
others jumped from bridges into the Guadalquivir river. Beaches
across Spain’s southern coast were packed as the heatwave coincided
with the start of the high season for tourism.
Officials
in Spain and Portugal also cautioned that the scorching temperatures
posed a serious danger of forest fires, with Portuguese authorities
warning of a particularly high risk in wooded central and northern
areas of the country.
After
an uncommonly dry winter and spring, almost 54% of the Portuguese
mainland was enduring extreme or severe drought at the end of May,
official statistics show. With little rainfall in June, that
percentage is expected to rise
Heat
dome parked over West shatters temperature records, sparks fires
1
July, 2015
The
West is baking under a heat dome that has sent temperatures soaring
to historically high levels, further drying out soils and priming the
region for fast-spreading wildfires. The heat wave is noteworthy for
its severity, extent and duration.
During
the past seven days alone, 465 warm temperature records have been set
or tied across the country, mainly in the West, with 49 monthly warm
temperature records set or tied, according to the National Center for
Environmental Information in Asheville, North Carolina.
These
numbers are rising by the hour as the blistering heat wave continues
from interior areas of southern California, across the barren Nevada
and Utah deserts, northward into western Montana, and west from there
toward Washington and Oregon.
The
heat doesn't stop at the Canadian border, though, as record-breaking
heat has also taken hold in British Columbia and Alberta.
Cranbrook,
British Columbia, set an all-time high temperature record of 98
degrees Fahrenheit, or 36.8 degrees Celsius, on Sunday, according to
The Weather Network.
According
to weather.com,
Revelstoke, British Columbia, which is a ski resort community, saw a
high temperature of 103 degrees Fahrenheit, or 39.5 degrees Celsius,
on Sunday.
With dozens
of wildfires still burning in
western Canada and Alaska, a thick blanket of smoke has descended
over parts of the intermountain West. This has reduced visibility and
increased public health risks for people with respiratory ailments in
Montana and the Dakotas, for example.
In
fact, some of the smoke has reached as far south as Tennessee, based
on satellite observations.
Monday
was the third day in a row that Salt Lake City had a triple-digit
high temperature. The high temperature on June 29 at Salt Lake City
was 104 degrees Fahrenheit, or 40 degrees Celsius, which was three
degrees below the city's all time high temperature record, according
to the National Weather Service.
Salt
Lake City typically sees about six 100-degree days per year. So far
this year, they've already had four such days. By the end of the day
on Tuesday, that will most likely creep up to five.
Heat
dome parked across the West, shown in this simulation of jet stream
winds.
IMAGE: EARTH
SIMULATOR
The
extreme heat is not likely to go away anytime soon, either. Computer
model forecasts show it may last until early next week before another
heat ridge builds over Alaska, further raising wildfire risks there,
and potentially giving all but the Pacific Northwest a respite from
the heat.
Take a look at all the #wildfires in Alaska and Canada! The smoke from these fires is making it into the Midwest. pic.twitter.com/Af29x8EAYZ
— NWS Boise (@NWSBoise) June 30, 2015
It's
possible that some records for heat wave longevity will be tied or
broken by this event, which speaks to its unusual nature. The
forecast for some parts of the interior Pacific Northwest calls for
high temperatures in the lower 100s Fahrenheit through early next
week.
The
Weather Channel's Jon Erdman and Nick Wiltgen have
compiled a
comprehensive list of the most impressive temperature records that
have fallen. These include the low temperature in Las Vegas on
Friday, which was 91 degrees Fahrenheit, or 32.77 degrees Celsius —
a temperature most Americans would consider to be a hot daily high
temperature.
This was the first time Vegas saw a low in the 90s during the month
of June.
The
heat dome is parked across a region experiencing a historic drought.
The Pacific Northwest has seen steadily worsening drought conditions
during the past few months, and the combination of high heat, low
humidity and afternoon thunderstorms that fail to deliver much rain
yet still zap the ground with lightning (so-called dry thunderstorms)
are creating conditions ideal for starting major fires.
Although only
one destructive wildfire has
hit the lower 48 states as a result of this heat wave event, it's
likely that many more are on the way given the tinderbox-like
conditions in much of the West.
The
areas most at risk for thunderstorms are located on the periphery of
the heat dome, near stronger upper level winds that can trigger such
storms.
This
heat wave is posing a particularly significant public health threat
because air conditioning is sparse in many parts of the West,
including Idaho, Montana, Utah and Wyoming, weather.com reported.
Several
all-time high temperature records were set or tied on June 28 in
particular. This includes Chief Joseph Dam, Washington, which reached
113 degrees Fahrenheit, or 45 degrees Celsius, beating the previous
all-time high temperature record of 110 degrees set in July of 2006.
Seattle close to record high Wednesday. 88°F forecast.
Redding California at 114°F is scorching. pic.twitter.com/STuZBRLLjF
— Ryan Maue (@RyanMaue) June 30, 2015
Chelan,
Washington, reached 110 degrees Fahrenheit, or 43.3 degrees Celsius,
on June 28, beating the previous record of 109 degrees, set the
previous day. Prior to this heat wave, Chelan's highest all-time
temperature was 106 degrees, and records there date back to 1890.
According
to Weather Underground weather historian Christopher Burt, if the
113-degree reading in Walla Walla, Washington, on June 28 is
validated, it would not just be an all-time record for that location,
but an all-time record for the state of Washington. The previous
Washington record is 112 degrees Fahrenheit, set in 1961, according
to Weather Underground.
Idaho
may have also set a new all-time state high temperature record, when
Lewiston, Idaho, reached 111 degrees Fahrenheit, which is nearly 44
degrees Celsius, on June 28.
Locations
in Montana, such as Kalispell and Missoula, have seen temperatures
reach 102 degrees Fahrenheit, or 38.9 degrees Celsius, in a state
that is not exactly synonymous with "heat." Helena, the
state capital, hit 103 degrees Fahrenheit, or 39.4 degrees Celsius,
over the weekend.
Many
more records are likely to fall before this event ends, and the
long-range climate outlooks from the Climate Prediction Center favor
continued above average temperatures across the Pacific Northwest and
parts of Alaska.
Climate
studies show that global warming is raising the likelihood of extreme
heat events and is also enhancing their severity across the world,
including the U.S.
In
other words, get used to seeing new all-time high temperature
records.
This is the forecast for Tacoma, Washington
Bad
news from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration today
Montana's drought is getting much worse
The forecast for Great Falls, Montana - 88F today
Meanwhile in the Pacific....
As
I pointed out yesterday the formation of a tropical cyclone in July
is totally unprecedented.
There
have been more more reports on cyclone Raquel or the Solomon Islands
since yesterday’s report that it
was weakening but still likely to bring flashfloods and landslides.
This typhoon is due to pass over the area on Friday night US time
CNMI
and Guam prepare for typhoon
The Governor
of the Northern Marianas, Eloy Enos, has placed the territory on
alert as an approaching storm is upgraded to a typhoon.
Typhoon Chan-Hom Photo: Guam National Weather Service Forecast Office
3
July, 2015
Typhoon
Chan-hom is expected to pass between the southern island of Rota and
Guam on Saturday night.
It
is still several hundred kilometres away but at its centre has winds
of up to 135 kilometres an our.
Our
correspondent says it is expected the alert level could be raised
further later today.
The
CNMI Homeland Security and Emergency Management is to open its
Emergency Operations Center this morning and will assign shelters in
the schools.
Guam's
Governor Eddie Calvo and the US Navy's Rear Admiral Bette Bolivar are
encouraging people to prepare.
They
have warned the forecast could change quickly and this underscores
the need to be prepared.
The
Government is warning people to be ready for flooding and to ensure
drains are clear.
The
typhoon is moving in a northwesterly direction and the Guam Weather
Service says it is expected to pass between Guam and Rota at which
stage the winds could be up 168 kilometres an hour.
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