Spring heatwave for Europe: temperatures up to 15 degrees above normal
May is not yet over and the continent, which is warming up twice as fast, is already reckoning with abnormal heat. Between Monday and Tuesday 'tropical night' in London. Solar boom, hydro fears
by G.D.D.
May is not yet over and the first heat wave has already arrived in Europe, pushing temperatures above the period average by 9 to 15 degrees in France, the UK and the north-western regions of the continent, and incinerating all records so far recorded for the period. However anomalous, this 'spring wave' may be only the first in a series: with global warming, extreme weather phenomena become more frequent and intense. And Europe is the fastest warming continent, even twice as fast as the world average.
Alert status
In France, the heat wave has been directly linked to at least two deaths, according to government spokeswoman Maud Bregeon. According to Météo-France, maximum daytime temperatures will reach 38 degrees in the south of the country.
High-temperature warnings are also in force in western Spain (here, too, the thermometer is pushing 38-40 degrees) and parts of the United Kingdom. Monday 25 was the hottest May day ever recorded in the country, with temperatures touching 35 degrees. Between Monday and Tuesday, London experienced a rare 'tropical' night: a night when the temperature does not fall below 20 degrees is considered as such. At this time of year, average temperatures in the capital are around 17-18 degrees.
In Italia, a state of orange alert was declared in 12 cities.
Solar boom, hydro worries
The heat bubble is also affecting power generation: at its peak, around midday on Sunday, photovoltaics met almost half of the UK's electricity demand, also a record, according to data from Neso, the UK equivalent of Italy's Terna. The surge in renewable energy production has affected prices across Europe, pushing them below zero in France.
