Extreme heat and record-breaking cold temperatures - are they the result of climate change?
The scorching heat of late June and early July brought a rare heatwave to Europe, with temperatures soaring above 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in several cities. This extreme weather event, fueled by climate change, has been one of the most severe in recent history, causing widespread disruptions and claiming lives.
In the heart of the Atacama Desert, known as the driest place on earth outside of the poles, snow blanketed the landscape for the first time in a decade. Meanwhile, southern and central Argentina experienced temperatures between 10-15 degrees Celsius (50-59 degrees Fahrenheit) below the seasonal average, marking a chilly contrast to the blistering European heat.
The European heatwave was driven by a "heat dome", a meteorological phenomenon where high-pressure keeps dry, hot air over one region for a long period of time. This persistently hot and dry condition created hot, dry conditions that fueled wildfires in several European countries, causing further destruction and disruption.
The heatwave forced schools to close and prompted bans on outdoor work across most of Italy. In response to the extreme temperatures, the World Health Organization issued a heat health alert for the region.
John Marsham, Joint-Chair of the Met Office, stated that the role of climate change in the recent high temperatures in Europe is certain. He also suggested that climate change is likely to have played a role in the severe Texas flooding last weekend, which has claimed over 100 lives with many more still missing.
A study estimates that the number of expected heat-deaths in the heatwave was increased by 1,500 due to the higher temperatures. The recent European heatwave is estimated to have tripled the number of heat-related deaths, according to a rapid study led by scientists at Imperial College London and the London School of Tropical Medicine.
Climate change is supercharging extreme weather events such as floods, drought, and storms, making them more frequent and intense. A 2024 study expects the intensity of extreme precipitation to increase 10% by 2036 in Texas. According to the IPCC, at 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) of warming above pre-industrial levels, what would have been a once-every-10-year rainfall event will occur 1.7 times per decade and be 14% wetter.
The recent extreme weather events and unusually cold temperatures in South America are largely attributed to the return of the climate phenomenon La Niña in 2025, which cools the tropical eastern Pacific Ocean and influences severe weather patterns, including increased dryness in South America and colder conditions in some regions. Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay were grappling with a rare polar cold wave, caused by a powerful polar-origin anticyclone.
Michael Oppenheimer, climate scientist at Princeton University, stated that society is not acting with enough alarm in response to the rising threat of extreme weather. He emphasized the need for immediate action to mitigate the effects of climate change and prevent future disasters.
As the world continues to grapple with the impacts of climate change, it is clear that extreme weather events will become more frequent and severe. It is crucial for society to take action and adapt to these changes to protect lives, infrastructure, and ecosystems.
