It’s a savage summer in the Northern Hemisphere – and climate change is slashing the odds of more heatwaves

In Australia, we know about sweltering summer heat. We all remember the images of burned koala paws, collapsing tennis players and, far more seriously, the tragic events of Black Saturday.

Firefighters and volunteers battle a blaze
near Loutraki in southern Greece.

Aussies may scoff at Britain’s idea of a heatwave, but this time it’s the real deal and it’s no laughing matter.

Extreme heat has hit locations throughout the Northern Hemisphere, in places as far apart as Montreal, Glasgow, Tokyo and Lapland. In the past few weeks heat records have tumbled in a wide range of places, most notably:

• a new record high temperature for Africa of 51.3℃ in Algeria
• a record high temperature in Japan of 41.1℃ near Tokyo
• a world record hottest overnight minimum of 42.6℃ in Oman.

Read the story from The Conversation - “It’s a savage summer in the Northern Hemisphere – and climate change is slashing the odds of more heatwaves.”