Surprising heat points surprise scientists – heat waves especially hit England and France

Climate scientists have discovered a surprising phenomenon. At the same time as the global average temperature breaks records, certain regions are repeatedly experiencing unexpectedly severe heat waves.

The heat waves in these hotspots are so intense that they defy all models and explanations of global warming.

Researchers from Columbia University in the United States have now published the first world map of the regions. They introduce his results in the Pnas publication of the American Academy of Sciences.

The strongest and the most consistent finding is for Western Europe. Especially England and the northern half of France glow in dark red on the map.

The heat waves have also punished Belgium, the Netherlands, western Germany and Denmark more severely than expected.

They stand out in the map above with red and orange colors.

In 2022 and 2023, tens of thousands of people died in these regions as a result of heat waves.

Heat points found on all continents except Antarctica.

A new study examines heat waves over a 65-year period and names regions where extreme heat increases clearly faster than more moderate temperatures.

Most of the extreme heat waves have been dated to recent years, but some have been experienced at the beginning of the millennium or even earlier.

Reason the origin of extreme heat waves is not completely clear. Global warming of any kind makes heat waves more likely in many cases.

Lead author of the new study Kai Kornhuber evaluated in his previous management in the studythat heat and drought would be associated with changes in the jet stream in the northern hemisphere.

This is still only one hypothesis and does not explain all extremist mothers.

Kornhuber says Columbia University in the bulletinthat unexpected regional extreme weather raises the question of how well climate models are able to take regional risks into account.