Currently — January 4th, 2023
What you need to know, currently.
One of the most severe winter heatwave in Europe’s modern history visualized over the last 2 days. Hundreds of monthly warm temperature records were broken all over the continent. This is exactly the kind of very abnormal event that is progressively rewriting global climatology. pic.twitter.com/Nb8ImytqYC
— Nahel Belgherze (@WxNB_) January 1, 2023
At least seven countries in Europe experienced their warmest January on record on New Year’s Day in a historic winter warmth.
Temperatures in Latvia soared to 52 degrees F (11.1 degrees C); Denmark 54.7 degrees (12.6 degrees C); Lithuania 58.3 degrees F (14.6 degrees C); Belarus 61.5 degrees F (16.4 degrees C); the Netherlands 62.4 degrees F (16.9 degrees C); Poland 66.2 degrees F (19 degrees C); and the Czech Republic 67.3 degrees F (19.6 degrees C), breaking records as the new year approached.
This warm spell came after a record-warm year in many parts of Europe—including in the U.K., Switzerland, and Germany—due to the increased frequency and severity of human-caused extreme weather and climate change.
Extreme heat washed over Europe in waves throughout the years, and became more intense during the summer drought, pushing U.K. temperatures to 104 degrees F (40 degrees C) for the first time on record in July.
Cooler temperatures could surface mid-January.
—Aarohi Sheth
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