People take a boat ride on a river on a hot day in Madrid, Spain. (Photo: THX/TTXVN)
Road surface temperatures in northern China have soared to 70∘C, while central California (USA) has also recorded temperatures above 37∘C.
In Spain, temperatures rose so high that authorities had to issue warnings to tourists.
Dr. Daniel Swain - a climatologist at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) - said that this summer's heat is likely to break global temperature records.
The extreme weather threatens to overload power grids, dry out crops and send energy prices soaring across three continents.
Heat and drought also increase the risk of wildfires, as seen in Alberta, Canada. Economic and human losses are estimated to reach $200 billion a year in the United States by 2030 and could double by 2050.
All three regions of the Northern Hemisphere are facing extreme heat due to climate change, especially the western and central US and Canada, and western and northern Europe.
As the warmer atmosphere holds more moisture, these areas will also see more intense rain and flooding.
Rising temperatures in the Atlantic are increasing the likelihood of more intense tropical storms. The absence of El Niño also increases the risk of more hurricanes and tropical storms in the region and the Caribbean, threatening oil and gas production areas around the U.S. Gulf of Mexico.
Disturbances in the summer air flow also increase the likelihood of powerful thunderstorms, causing billions of dollars in damage across the Midwest and northern plains of the United States.
Extreme heat will drive up energy demand. About 89 million people in parts of the central United States are at risk of losing power this summer.
Energy prices, especially natural gas, are therefore expected to increase by more than 30%, especially as drought limits storage.
Furthermore, high temperatures are damaging crops and drying up major rivers, driving up food prices. Soybean, corn and wheat growing regions in the US are experiencing severe drought, which could lead to reduced production.
If this situation persists, the water level of the Mississippi River will decrease, hindering the operation of barges, which are important means of transporting crops across the country.
In Europe, the world's fastest-warming continent, low rainfall and early drying have set the stage for severe heatwaves, droughts and dangerous wildfire conditions.
Forecast models show that the prolonged high-pressure weather pattern will repeat the scenario of the first months of 2025, leading to low wind power output but high solar power output. The risk of heat waves and drought will be exacerbated.
In Asia, Japan and Southeast Asia are expected to have a warmer than normal summer.
China is also forecast to experience a very hot June, with drought in the north affecting the wheat crop. Although rain is forecast, the rapid transition from dry to wet conditions increases the risk of flooding, landslides and crop damage.
During peak season, electricity demand in China is expected to be about 100 gigawatts higher than in 2024.
In the Northern Hemisphere, Dr. Daniel Swain said the extreme temperatures clearly reflect the warming of the Earth compared to the past few decades.
Since 1959, many regions such as Europe, the Pacific Northwest, northeastern Canada, and parts of Mexico, Africa, and the Middle East have seen a marked increase in more intense summer heat waves.
Dr. Karen McKinnon, a lecturer in climate change statistics at UCLA, emphasized that the increase in extreme heat events is the most obvious manifestation of climate change. Even small changes of just a few degrees Celsius are enough to make summers much more severe./.
According to VNA
Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/khu-vuc-bac-ban-cau-se-phai-doi-mat-voi-mua-he-nong-ky-luc-250768.htm
Comment (0)