UN says periods of extreme heat are becoming more frequent and more intense
Periods of extreme heat around the world are becoming increasingly frequent, prolonged, and intense against the backdrop of global climate change.
This was stated on Tuesday by the World Meteorological Organization, which noted that the current weather conditions in Europe differ substantially from those observed several decades ago.
Some European countries are already recording their fifth heat wave this summer. The abnormally high temperatures are accompanied by drought, large-scale forest fires, and a number of temperature records. Against this background, specialists warn that such periods of extreme heat are becoming a characteristic feature of the changing climate.
The head of the World Meteorological Organization's climate information department, John Kennedy, stated at a press conference in Geneva that, compared with the cooler climatic conditions of the past, periods of abnormal heat now occur more often, last longer, reach higher temperatures, and extend over significantly larger areas.
According to the specialist, what is happening in Europe is linked to a combination of persistent atmospheric processes and the overall rise in the planet's temperature. Europe, meanwhile, remains the fastest-warming continent in the world, which is why the consequences of global warming are particularly noticeable there.
One of the factors contributing to the persistence of abnormal heat is stable areas of high atmospheric pressure. Such systems are capable of trapping warm air over a particular territory for a long time, while simultaneously reducing cloud cover and preventing the movement of colder air masses. As a result, temperatures can remain abnormally high for several days or even weeks.
Such an atmospheric situation promotes the accumulation of heat over large areas and increases the likelihood of prolonged heat waves. Moreover, this is not only about short-term temperature peaks, since periods of extreme heat are becoming longer and are affecting ever more extensive regions.
Specialists also noted that the current heat in Europe is not connected with the influence of El Niño — a natural climatic phenomenon that usually contributes to a rise in average global temperatures. At present, neutral conditions persist in the tropical part of the Pacific Ocean, so this factor is not exerting a significant influence on the European heat.
Thus, the current situation in Europe is developing against the backdrop of long-term climate warming and the particular features of atmospheric circulation. According to the World Meteorological Organization's assessment, it is precisely the combination of these factors that helps explain why periods of extreme heat are becoming longer, more intense, and larger in scale compared with the conditions typical of the last century.
Scientists note that the European summer of 2026 has become yet another example of the changing nature of temperature extremes.
