Over 60,000 People In Europe Died Of Heat Last Summer, Study Finds. Here’s Why This Year Could Be Even Hotter - Forbes

Topline

Nearly 62,000 people died in Europe last summer during an extreme heat wave across the continent, a study published in the science journal Nature Medicine found—and extreme temperatures this summer may lead to even more dangerous heat.

Key Facts

Last summer was the warmest recorded summer in Europe, and an estimated 61,727 people died due to the excessive heat, the new study found, using estimates of excess deaths across Europe and mathematical models.

Southwestern Europe, which faced heat waves from May well into August and broke temperature records, according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service, had the most heat-related fatalities, according to the study.

The study found that the top five countries with the highest summer heat-related deaths were Italy (18,010), Spain (11,324), Germany (8,173), France (4,807) and the United Kingdom (3,469).

The week of July 18 to July 24 was the most intense, resulting in 11,637 deaths.

Key Background

Copernicus Climate Change Service reported that 2022 was Europe’s hottest summer on record. May 2022 was reportedly the warmest May in France since the 1900s, with temperatures reaching 33 degrees Celsius (91.4 degrees Fahrenheit) on May 27. Last June, parts of Spain and Italy were surpassing 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), breaking daily records. By July 18, the U.K. had reached 40.2 degrees Celsius (104.4 degrees Fahrenheit), its hottest temperature on record.

Contra

Heat-related mortality took the lives of over 70,000 Europeans in the summer of 2003 amid heat waves, researchers found in 2008. Maximum temperatures reportedly surged to between 35 and 40 degrees Celsius (95 and 104 degrees Fahrenheit) in July.

What To Watch For

Weather patterns like El Niño this year may cause more heat-related deaths across the globe. The Met Office, the meteorological service for the UK, predicted 2023 would be the hottest year on record worldwide. So far this year, Europe has not been spared: according to Copernicus Climate Change Service, this past June was the warmest on record for Belgium, Ireland, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. AccuWeather meteorologists predicted that temperatures in June, July and August would be above historical average in Europe and that June and July would be the driest months of the summer. Last week, the United Nations’ World Health Organization declared the onset of El Niño, a climate event that occurs every two to seven years and results in warmer oceans and temperatures.

Surprising Fact

On July 3, Earth experienced its hottest day on record 62.62 degrees Fahrenheit. A day later, Earth broke said record at 62.92 degrees Fahrenheit.

Further Readings

El Niño Returns: UN Warns Of Upcoming ‘Surge’ In Global Temperatures And Extreme Heat (Forbes)

July 3: Earth Experiences Hottest Day On Record (Forbes)

July 4 Was Earth’s Hottest Day In Over 100,000 Years—Breaking Record For 2nd Day In A Row (Forbes)

U.K. Records Its Hottest Temperature Ever Amid Extreme Heatwave (Forbes)

U.K. Faces Hottest Day On Record As Weather Officials Issue Warning—Here's Why It's A Cause For Concern (Forbes)

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Over 60,000 People In Europe Died Of Heat Last Summer, Study Finds. Here’s Why This Year Could Be Even Hotter - Forbes
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