Part of Mother Nature Climatic Wars series
Last year, 2018 reached the new world record for the hottest summer in decades. Beginning in Asia and traveling all the way to the Americas, the heatwave, wildfires and heatdomes boiled (no pun intended) the societies across the world. Tokyo and many Japanese cities saw some of the hottest days beginning in July. South Korea also witnessed its own crushing heatwaves. To the south, the Australian cities of Sydney and experienced the hottest weeks in 85 years. In Greece, Spain, Norway, the Algarve region of Portugal particulary the mountain town of Monichal and . The worst European wildfire was in the small Greek village of Mati, where some 77 people were killed by the nightime wildfire that trapped holidaymakers and local villagers on the beach. The fire surrounded the beach and burnt houses. Many people had to dive into the sea for safety and find relief from the intense heat. The fire crisscrossed the highways and kept blazing for days until it was extinguished by the Greek fire services. Even the Arctic circle and Norway and Sweden which is normally cooler compared to Southern Europe caught fire. The world as a whole has been getting hotter each summer due to climate change and the climatic shifts happening around the Earth. It's not coincidental that its the Western World that is dragging itself through the heat.
Hot as Hell in Europe
French government has placed the weather warning on the highest alert to red and has banned cars to keep emissions from adding to the heat. Many of the centuries old apartments buildings and houses in most European cities and squares do not have air conditioning. Most were built before AC or even central heating were invented. Being built out of cement as in most of the world, these buildings have their own natural, internal cooling system that are different from air duct systems used in wooden homes. Until the early 2000s, most building residents didn't have to rely on air conditioning in reliably cool summer months throughout Europe where people spend the majority of their summer and spring outdoors. We're not only talking holidays or nature walks, but leaving projects at work and spending genuine quality time with family and friends. Europe still emphasizes work to live life and not consumed by work and stress as in the U.S.
Now again in 2019, another heat dome which started last week is breaking the thermometer across Europe: Germany, France, UK, Poland, the Czech Republic or Czechia are suffocating from the stifling heat that have introduced the cities of Paris, Rome, Berlin and Prague to 110+ degree heat or 40 to 46 degree centigrade. Keep in mind that Southern Europe, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Malta and Greece are already used to high temperatures of 40 degree centigrade throughout the summer. Yet the ongoing heat and desert like humidity in June has sent many Europeans both locals and holidaymakers rushing for limited shades, public pools and cooling stations across the European cities. Many of the elderly are at risk of heatstroke, exhaustion and dehydration. The last time it was hot as hell in Europe was in 2003 where a massive heatwave covered Europe and killed 70,000 elderly people in August while the country was on holiday. The month of August is a European wide, mandatory vacation month for many workers and many Europeans go on holiday via cruises, flights The major capitals normally shut down during August for locals but still receive millions of tours. In 2010, another unforgiving heatwave killed 10,000 Russians. A wildfire had broken out in Catalonia battled by 700 firefighters or bomberos has been contained. The FIFA's Women's World Cup being hosted by France has seen several matches allow players to take water breaks and cool off. The fans at many of the matches can be seen continously fan themselves and sitting in the shadied seats of stadiums. Many of the matches have been played more frequently in the Ocean Stadium Le Havre, a costal city in Normandy that has been dealing with unusual humidity. Even the beachgoers who are usually relaxed getting a tan have had enough of the burning heat.
Saharan dust and winds named the Siroccio that frequently cover Italy, UK and France in African dust particles has reached the United States for the first time dumping dust in Florida. Now, there are many countries ie Australia, Somalia, Bahrain who just experienced its hottest June in a 100 years, Libya (said to have some of the hottest recorded temperatures in the world), UAE (to name a few places) that are used to 45+ centigrade heat and the people have learned to adapt and manage it. However, Europe is melting. The United States gets unbearably hot even hotter than Libya and India (known for melting heatwaves recently) in some cases. Regions that are both desert and grasslands such as Death Valley are unlivable, the cities of Phoenix & Tuscon, AZ, Albuquerque, Dallas and Sacramento, CA (dry humidity both are in tree covered, flat lands), New York City has to deal with the urban heat island affect as does Miami, San Diego, Boston and San Francisco. It's worth noting that a majority of residents in San Francisco do not have air conditioning since it has never been needed. The Pacific Ocean's breeze has alleviated any potentially harmful heatwave washing over SF until now. The U.S. has a century long history of heatwaves that have broken the thermostat on multiple occasions. While Americans do go outdoors, most prefer to stay close to an air conditioned house, mall, store or if a person is working the whole summer in an air conditioned and freezing office building.
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