On Thursday (June 20), the Northern Hemisphere welcomed the first day of summer, as a deadly heatwave is scorching four continents, with warnings that this summer may once again bring record-breaking high temperatures, becoming the hottest summer globally.
In recent days, temperatures have already set records, with estimates of hundreds or even thousands of deaths in Asia and Europe. Large areas around the world, including North America, South Asia, East Asia, and Southeast Asia, are currently experiencing extreme temperatures.
According to data from the European Union’s climate monitoring service, during the heatwave, temperatures have been consistently breaking records for 12 consecutive months compared to the same period last year.
The World Meteorological Organization stated that there is an 86% probability that temperatures in the next five years will exceed those of 2023, becoming the hottest on record.
The U.S. National Weather Service reported that parts of the Northeast and Midwest in the United States are currently under a “heat dome,” with over 86 million people under heat advisories on Thursday.
When a powerful high-pressure system traps hot air in a certain region, preventing cold air from entering and resulting in prolonged high temperatures, a “heat dome” is formed.
Prolonged high temperatures also increase the risk of wildfires, with wildfires erupting in parts of California.
Four provinces in Canada – New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, and Quebec – have also issued heat warnings.
U.S. weather officials stated that some areas could see temperatures exceed 38 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit) later in the week.
On Thursday, the meteorological department also issued high-temperature warnings for certain areas in Arizona, including Phoenix, with temperatures expected to reach 45.5 degrees Celsius (114 degrees Fahrenheit).
As part of the heat emergency plan, New York City announced it would open cooling centers for the first time this year.
Meanwhile, Mexico and southern Texas in the United States face the first storm of the North Atlantic hurricane season.
Along the Mexican coast, three people have died, with the U.S. National Hurricane Center warning of potentially life-threatening floods and mudslides in northeastern Mexico and southern Texas.
According to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Earth Observatory, countries along the Mediterranean coast have been experiencing a week of scorching temperatures, with wildfires breaking out from Portugal to Greece and Algeria on the north coast of Africa.
Greece reported experiencing its earliest heatwave in history, with several tourists already dead, including British TV and radio host Michael Mosley.
This year, Europe has seen a series of tourist deaths and disappearances in dangerous high-temperature weather. Police reported on Monday that a 55-year-old American was found dead on Mathraki Island in Greece, the third such tourist death in a week.
Greek authorities have taken action to close the Acropolis of Athens in recent days, and schools have also been shut. Firefighters have been working to contain wildfires on Lesvos Island.
While Greece is no stranger to summer heat, meteorologists say winds from North Africa have pushed up temperatures in the Balkan Peninsula.
In Serbia, meteorologists predict temperatures around 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) this week. Health authorities have issued red weather warnings, advising people not to go out at risk.
Belgrade’s emergency services department stated that doctors made 109 night visits to treat patients with heart disease and chronic illnesses.
In neighboring Montenegro, health authorities also warned people to stay in shady areas until evening, with thousands of tourists seeking relief from the heat on the beaches along the Adriatic Sea.
In Saudi Arabia, nearly two million Muslim pilgrims will conclude their pilgrimage at the Grand Mosque in Mecca this week. However, reports indicate that hundreds of people have died en route due to temperatures exceeding 51 degrees Celsius (124 degrees Fahrenheit).
Egyptian medical and security sources told Reuters on Thursday that at least 530 Egyptians have died while joining the pilgrimage, higher than the previously reported 307 deaths. Another 40 individuals are still missing.
According to Agence France-Presse, although previous pilgrimage incidents have occurred due to overcrowding and fires, the Saudi National Center for Meteorology reported that temperatures around the Grand Mosque in Mecca reached a high of 52 degrees Celsius (125 degrees Fahrenheit) earlier this week.
Saudi officials have been distributing water to pilgrims and advising people to avoid going out during the hottest times of the day (10:00 to 16:00).
In India, the summer lasts from March to May, when monsoons slowly begin to sweep across the country to relieve the heat.
However, New Delhi experienced its hottest night in at least 55 years on Wednesday, with temperatures reaching 35.2 degrees Celsius (95.4 degrees Fahrenheit) at 1 a.m., when temperatures usually drop. A study from the University of Exeter in 2020 found that in many parts of the world, nights are warming faster than days.
As the high temperatures persist, Indians have had to use fans and air conditioning, leading to record-breaking electricity usage and causing power outages in Delhi. The city’s water supply has also been affected.
Since India entered summer in March, dozens of people have died from the heat, with 50 deaths reported in Uttar Pradesh and Odisha in just three days earlier this month.
India’s summer is typically hot and humid, but this year’s heatwave is exceptionally severe, lasting longer, stronger, and more frequent.
Data from the meteorological department shows that since May 14, New Delhi has experienced 38 consecutive days with maximum temperatures reaching or exceeding 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit).
An official from India’s Ministry of Health stated on Wednesday that between March 1 and June 18, the number of heatwave days in northwestern and eastern India was double that of previous years, with over 40,000 suspected cases of heat-related illnesses and at least 110 confirmed deaths.
However, determining the accurate death toll from heatwaves is not easy. Most health authorities do not attribute deaths directly to high temperatures but to exacerbation of existing conditions, such as cardiovascular problems, leading to a significant underestimation of heat-related deaths by authorities.
In southern parts of China, record-breaking rainfall has led to at least four deaths and dozens of people missing, while northern China is experiencing this year’s highest temperatures.
According to the official news agency Xinhua, heavy rain in parts of Fujian province in China has exceeded historical daily rainfall records, resulting in four deaths.
Meanwhile, northern China is currently experiencing the hottest weather of the year. China’s National Meteorological Center reported that temperatures in Beijing, Tianjin, and the surrounding areas of Hebei reached 39 degrees Celsius (102 degrees Fahrenheit) on Tuesday.
Predictions suggest that China will experience extreme weather throughout this summer.