The northern hemisphere brace for record temperatures as heatwave peaks in Europe

The impact of climate change is becoming more and more evident as the world moves through a series of record-breaking warming events this year. July 3 and July 4, have been measured to be the hottest two days for the earth ever. Now, the latest in this year's edition of climate extremes comes from China. A weather station in China’s Xinjiang region (Sanbao villages - screen text) recorded 52.2°C temperature on July 16. This has set a new record for mid-July in China, previously at 50.6°C set in 2017. The other parts of the world, especially in the northern hemisphere, are also struggling with soring temperatures with record-setting summer heat waves. According to weather predictions, the temperature in Rome could surpass 42°C on Tuesday, breaking the previous record of 40.5°C in 2007. The temperature in Greece also saw highs of over 40°C and could reach up to 44°C later this week. Spain’s weather service is expecting the temperatures to hit 45°C in the southeastern areas of the Iberian Peninsula. Temperatures in Turkey could also rise to 42°C by the end of the week. The extreme weather in Europe is partly due to the Charon anticyclone that is pushed into southern Europe from North Africa. An anticyclone is another name for a high-pressure area. It is the second 'heat storm' in a week after the Cerberus weather system on July 10, 2023. The continued heatwaves across Europe have also pushed the continent to several droughts. Reports noted that 42% of EU land is under amber warning because of the lack of rainfall; increasing the chance of wildfires. According to the latest report published in the journal Nature, more than 60,000 people died in Europe in heat waves last summer and the summer trend of this year seems to be no different.