Record Heatwave hits the Northern Hemisphere

Cities across the northern hemisphere including London, Athens, Barcelona, Tokyo and Toronto have experienced increase in the average temperature for July.

All increasing by at least one or two degrees, their average maximum is higher than the past 30 years of records. The rare heatwave hitting the northern part of the world has resulted in completely unexpected weather conditions and a shocking death toll.

UK

England has been experiencing a heatwave that has lasted since the beginning of summer and reached its peak high over July, soaring to record temperatures of 34.4ºc in London, ranking it in “the top 10 warmest summers on record” . There has also been shortage of water as a result of the consistently hot summer weather. Fires across the country have been breaking out, burning through 13,888 hectares of land (four times the average of the past decade), and the heatwave has promoted the spread of wildfire throughout Europe.

London is feeling the effects of the extreme heat across the city resulting in freak weather events, dry vegetation due to the lack of rainfall, and soaring temperatures at almost double the natural average (over the past 30 years). The UK have experienced the driest start to the summer on record and people are being urged to “use water wisely to conserve supplies and protect the environment” by Paul Hickey, head of water resources from Environment Agency.

Greece

The soaring temperatures have been affecting the majority of the Northern Hemisphere, with cities experiences natural disaster scale weather, including wildfires, which in Greece has taken the lives of 91 people. Tearing through land and damaging over 2000 homes, the Greek government are being criticised for a “lack of adequate preparation for fire season” but winds of up to 100 kilometres per hour paired with the raging fire has done more damage than expected. The wildfires have burnt through thousands of hectares of land, demanding the aid from surrounding countries and creating a urgent issue for countries who are in need of help.

Japan

Also affected by the heatwave; Tokyo has been subjected to days as hot as 41ºc and the public are being rushed to hospital with heat-stroke related illnesses. Whilst the flood in Japan has claimed the lives of 48 people, the wild heat has posed a threat to the population with the death toll now rising to 80 people in Tokyo; people are dying of the intense heat at an alarming rate.