Extreme heat is returning to southern Europe this week, with the potential for record temperatures in parts of Spain, while further north a destructive storm is lashing the Nordic region.
(Bloomberg) — Extreme heat is returning to southern Europe this week, with the potential for record temperatures in parts of Spain, while further north a destructive storm is lashing the Nordic region.
The countryside around Seville could exceed 44C (111F) on Wednesday, according to Spain’s national forecaster. The new blast of heat will increase wildfire risk, after all-time highs in Catalonia last month were followed by blazes that ripped through over 430 hectares of woodland.
On Sunday, both Cyprus and Slovenia appealed for European Union help to combat wildfires and floods, respectively. The worst flooding in decades killed three people and left thousands of Slovenians without electricity, while swollen rivers in central Europe curbed hydropower output. In Cyprus, planes continue to drop water on a fire that forced the evacuation of three villages north of Limassol, as high winds threaten flare-ups.
The world’s hottest ever month in July saw searing heat, fires and flooding across the Northern Hemisphere from the US to China. Scientists say that would have been “virtually impossible” without climate change, but efforts to curb the use of fossil fuels fall well short of what’s required to address a rapidly warming planet.
The wildfire in Cyprus has scorched about 8.5 square kilometers. That comes after temperatures on parts of the east Mediterranean island exceeded 40C for a record-breaking 16 consecutive days last month.
“Fires are here,” Petros Xenophontos, Cyprus’s agriculture and environment minister, said on state-run RIK TV. “Climate change exists and unfortunately it will remain.”
In Greece, where wildfires triggered the evacuation of thousands of tourists from the island of Rhodes last month, firefighters brought 70 wildfires under control over the weekend. Still, parts of nine regions including Greater Athens are on very high alert as winds are forecast to strengthen on Tuesday.
Read more: Wildfire Risk Climbs for Spain as Heat Wave Moves to Iberia
As the heat builds over Iberia, northwest Europe remains cooler than the seasonal norm. Temperatures in London will drop as low as 10.5C on Monday, with Paris falling to 11C, according to Maxar Technologies Inc.
As floods hit Slovenia, in neighboring Austria, rising water levels along the Drava River have led to a reduction in energy output, while forecasts show the Inn and the Danube will reach “critical” levels Tuesday, curtailing power generation.
Read More: Central Europe’s Swollen Rivers Stunt Hydropower Production
Further north, Storm Hans — named by the Norwegian weather service — lashed the Nordic region on Monday, disrupting air traffic, ferries and caused widespread flooding. Red warnings were issued for high water levels on Tuesday and Wednesday in southern Sweden.
The wind is so strong that power prices for Tuesday turned negative for the Nordic region. At the same time, almost 20,000 homes suffered a power cut in the Gavleborg region of Sweden, before electricity supplies were restored to most of them.
Polferries, which operates between Sweden and Poland, shut its service for the rest of Monday, while there were huge delays at Arlanda, Stockholm’s main airport. Airport operator Avinor, which oversees 43 airports in Norway, warned passengers to expect delays due to “extreme weather.”
Norway’s Water Resources and Energy Directorate raised the flood and landslide threat to the highest level for a large area between Oslo and Trondheim. Between 8 and 10 centimeters (4 inches) of rain is forecast in the 24 hours from Monday afternoon, with about 15 centimeters forecast over the two days, according to Norway’s Meteorological Institute.
“This is a very rare and serious situation that may lead to extensive consequences and damage,” NVE landslide expert Siri Ane Hestad said Monday.
–With assistance from Kari Lundgren, Sanne Wass and John Ainger.
(Updates with Slovenia flooding and hydropower curbs from third paragraph and comment from Cyprus minister in sixth)
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