Record half of Europe faced 'very strong' heat stress this summer, Copernicus says
Just over half of Europe was exposed to 'very strong' heat stress this summer — a record-high share, the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service said.
Just over half of Europe experienced “very strong” levels of heat stress at times this summer, exposing a record-high share of the continent to the health risks of extreme heat, the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) said on Friday.
The 52% of the continent exposed to very strong heat stress was the highest share since records began, C3S reported in its annual climate review.
Heat stress occurs when high temperatures and humidity mean the body cannot cool itself through sweating. Symptoms include increased heart rate, nausea, dizziness and heat stroke — a potentially life-threatening condition. Copernicus defines “very strong” heat stress as conditions that feel like a temperature of at least 38 degrees Celsius (100°F).
Western Europe experienced its hottest summer since records began, recording “very strong” heat stress on 13 days. Extreme heat poses particular health risks to outdoor workers, the elderly, and people with conditions such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
Europe’s rivers also recorded their lowest summer flows in more than three decades, C3S said. According to the World Meteorological Organization, human-caused climate change has made Europe the world’s fastest-warming continent.
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