Extreme Heatwave Impacts Across Northern Europe and Russia
A sustained heatwave, lasting three weeks, has significantly impacted northern regions of Fennoscandia, including parts of the Scandinavian Peninsula and Finland, alongside the northwestern areas of Russia, according to a report released today by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the EU Climate Change Service. The report details widespread consequences stemming from the extreme temperatures. Across Europe, lakes experienced substantial net mass loss, and Iceland recorded the second-largest glacier loss on record.
Snow cover levels were 31 percent below the average, while the Greenland ice sheet lost an estimated 139 billion tons of ice. European sea surface temperatures reached record highs, with 86 percent of the region experiencing severe heatwaves. These conditions fueled wildfires within the Arctic Circle, extending into the northernmost Arctic regions.
Furthermore, the southernmost areas of the Arctic Circle were also affected by the prolonged heatwave. The findings underscore the ongoing impacts of climate change and highlight the scale of environmental changes occurring across these vulnerable regions.
