Mild Winter Temperatures in Europe Indicate Extreme Weather Event Due to Climate Change
(MENAFN) Scientists have recently issued a warning about the unusually mild winter temperatures in some parts of Europe, stating that it is an extreme weather event that is linked to climate change. They are warning that Europeans are not prepared for such extremes, which they predict will become the norm after 2050. This event is comparable to the heatwaves that struck the continent last summer. The temperatures in Warsaw on New Year's Day were close to 19°C, while across the border in Belarus, they reached 16.4°C, which is 4.5°C higher than the previous record. In Paris, temperatures were 5.5°C higher than the average between December 19 and January 2.
The out-of-season temperatures are attributed to the arrival of south-western subtropical winds, which are not unusual but have intensified due to human-driven global warming. The primary cause of global warming is the burning of fossil fuels since the start of the Industrial Revolution in the 19th century. This has reduced temperature differences between low and high latitudes, which can affect the atmospheric circulation in mid-latitudes. As a result, more high-pressure systems are expected, keeping low-pressure systems off the European continent, which could lead to more intense and prolonged heatwaves.
Gerhard Krinner, a climatologist and research director at the French National Centre for Scientific Research, stated that the reduction in temperature differences due to global warming could impact the atmospheric circulation in mid-latitudes, leading to more high-pressure systems. This would keep low-pressure systems off the European continent and could result in more severe heatwaves. The records from this winter show a similar deviation from the norm as those last summer, with temperatures during heatwaves about 7°C higher than usual, according to Serge Zaka, an agriculture and climate specialist who also heads the French climate non-governmental organization, InfoClimat.
In conclusion, the unusually mild winter temperatures in some parts of Europe are an extreme weather event linked to climate change, and they are expected to become the norm after 2050. Scientists are warning that Europeans are not prepared for such extremes, and this should serve as a wake-up call to take action to mitigate the effects of climate change. The burning of fossil fuels since the Industrial Revolution is the primary cause of global warming, which reduces temperature differences and could impact the atmospheric circulation in mid-latitudes. As a result, more high-pressure systems are expected, keeping low-pressure systems off the European continent, and leading to more severe and prolonged heatwaves.
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