Europe set for mild October delaying start of heating season
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Oct 1 typically marks the start of heating season, when the demand for power starts to tick up as people turn on their radiators for the first time since March or April.
PHOTO: REUTERS
PARIS - Households in Europe will likely delay switching on their heating as temperatures in October hover above the long-term average, putting off, at least in the short-term, concerns about gas demand.
Oct 1 typically marks the start of heating season, when the demand for power starts to tick up as people turn on their radiators for the first time since March or April.
But with temperatures forecast to remain above the seasonal norm, that may not happen quite so soon.
In Paris, average temperatures will start the month 4.8deg C above average, 4.3 deg C in London and in Madrid 6.6 deg C, according to space technology company Maxar Technologies.
Most of Europe is warmer than average for the first half of October with the highest temperatures in the south.
While Mr Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine is ongoing, Europe is much better supplied ahead of winter after largely replacing lost flows of Russian pipeline gas with liquefied natural gas supplies. The continent’s gas storages are also well stocked.
Other factors – including a boost in solar and wind power generation – could also ease concerns about gas or electricity supply as Europe heads into its long-drawn winter season.
October’s relative warmth will bring plenty of sunshine from Spain and Portugal through much of France, southern Germany, and Italy, according to Mr Alan Reppert, a senior meteorologist at AccuWeather. Cold spells will not last beyond one or two days and solar power generation will pick up.
“Solar over much of the continent should perform exceptionally well and above what we would typically see in October,” Mr Reppert said.
However, Greece, devastated by historic flooding earlier this year, and Romania will witness normal levels of rain, he added.
Meanwhile, Britain is likely to have less rain over the course of the month, according to the Met Office, although stormy spells are still likely toward the end of the month.
Northern Europe can expect less sunshine, but the expected higher levels of wind “means greater wind power potential and lower solar will be seen across northern regions,” said Mr Andrew Pedrini, meteorologist at Atmospheric. BLOOMBERG
