Asia is groaning under an unprecedented heat. In Siberia, the mercury rose above 40 degrees today and, according to climatologist Maximiliano Herrera, “dozens of records were pulverized”. China recorded more than 45 degrees and is even flirting with the 50 degrees. Herrera speaks of “a historic heat wave that rewrites our climate history”. And it could get worse.
The heat wave in Asia is now in its thirteenth week. Herrera speaks of “the most brutal and endless heat wave the world has ever seen”.
In Siberia The mercury already passed 38 degrees in some places last weekend and temperatures were measured that had never been seen before. Today it got even worse and even passed the 40-degree mark during the “worst heat wave in Siberia’s history”. The cause is not far to seek: such heat at high latitudes is a typical feature of climate change.
In China they take it up a notch. There, too, one record after another has been broken in countless places in recent weeks. At high altitudes between 2,000 and 3,500, temperatures even flirt with world records. Today the mercury went above 45 degrees and, according to Herrera, the “historic heat wave of 2023” is still continuing, with temperatures heading towards 50 degrees. New extreme temperatures are expected in most of the country over the next ten days .
A similar story Vietnam, Laos and Thailand, where the heat has also lasted for months and records are being broken on the assembly line. In late April and early May, the mercury climbed to an unprecedented 43.5 degrees. In the summer of 2022, something similar could be seen.
Uzbekistan recorded 43 degrees yesterday and Kazakhstan 41 degrees. The meteorological service of Japan only announced that it had recorded the warmest period from March to May in its history.
Our oceans have also had a higher temperature than ever before since March. The average temperature of the surface water is currently just below 21.1 degrees, where it is normally 20 degrees. In the North Atlantic Ocean that is even 22.2 degrees, the highest temperature ever recorded there.
LOOK. This map shows where it will become too hot by the end of this century
The same story at the equator in the eastern Pacific Ocean, where an El Niño develops. This is a strong warming of normally cool sea water, which affects the weather in large parts of the world. It is the first time that we are starting an El Niño with such warm oceans. This raises fears that we may expect even more extreme – possibly unseen – weather in the coming months.
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