Risks of fires and droughts in Europe

Early heat waves cause drought in Europe

The drought in Europe came early this year.

It’s burning in southern Spain, water is rationed in Italy and Portugal is warning of a severe drought across the country.

Soon the peoples of the Mediterranean will come with us on vacation, says climate professor Michael Tegernstrom.

I Portugal Meteorologists have warned of severe drought across the country after May became the country’s warmest month since 1931.

in several parts of Spain It has already burned after the North African heat wave swept the country.

and in Italia Water must be rationed because reservoirs and rivers have dried up due to the lack of snow and higher temperatures than usual.

We predicted this more than 20 years ago, says Michael Tegernstrom, a professor in the Department of Meteorology at Stockholm University.

He says the Mediterranean region is highly vulnerable to heat waves and droughts. And if it’s prone to drought, it’s also prone to fires like the ones we’ve seen in recent years.

– It was started by, for example, lightning or careless people, he says.

Climate change is also causing water shortages and it becomes like a vicious circle, with solar heat causing water to evaporate.

– If there is decent water in the soil, then the soil cools down. But when the land is warm, only precipitation can replenish the water supply.

In the Mediterranean region, there will be less precipitation than previously. It also snows less in the winter, which means that the reservoirs that hold water are running out – so there’s not enough water for the summer.

The plateau in Spain has already been reached with temperatures over 40 degrees. It becomes especially noticeable for residents of cities, where cement and asphalt further heat the elevator.

– Every year it gets worse because of the accumulation of drought in previous years.

It is believed that the living conditions of the peoples of the Mediterranean will be very different in the future.

Soon the peoples of the Mediterranean will come with us instead, says Michael Tegernstrom.