Extreme heatwaves to continue through August, says World Meteorological Organisation adviser

GENEVA - Heatwaves are expected to persist in a large part of the world throughout August, an adviser on extreme heat said on Friday, following on from record temperatures in recent weeks.

The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) said earlier this week that it expected temperatures in North America, Asia, North Africa and the Mediterranean to be above 40 deg C “for a prolonged number of days this week as the heatwave intensifies”.

“We should expect or at least plan for these extreme heatwaves to continue through August,” senior extreme heat adviser for the WMO John Nairn told Reuters.

Southern Europe is

grappling with a record-breaking heatwave

during the peak summer tourist season, prompting the authorities to warn of an increased risk of health problems and even death.

Extreme weather has also disrupted the lives of millions of Americans, with dangerous heat stretching from Southern California to the Deep South. Sweltering heat has also hit the Middle East.

Dr Nairn said climate change meant heatwaves would become more frequent and be spread across the seasons.

“We’re on trend in seeing a rise in global temperatures that will contribute to heatwaves increasing in intensity and frequency,” he said.

“We’ve got quite clear indications that they’re already growing out into spring.”

Some countries, including the 27-member European Union, are hoping all nations will agree at UN climate talks later in 2023 to phase out the fossil fuel consumption that causes climate change.

Countries with oil and gas resources have opposed the idea.

“There is very strong evidence that if we were to eliminate fossil fuels, we would reduce a major contributor to what we are seeing,” Dr Nairn said.

“We can’t turn it around in a hurry, but we certainly can take action.” REUTERS