Weather: August, the updates for the summer holidays have arrived, let’s see what the projections say
Screenings for AugustThe latest updates of the seasonal forecasts of the European Center which confirm the next month of August out of the ordinary.
Are summer holidays at risk?
In order to answer this question we must rely on the so-called long-term climate projections (August): once decidedly unreliable and a mere object of study and interest for the curious and passionate, the seasonal projections have now become a valid tool for scientific prognosis, with decisive contributions in longer-term climate assessment. In Europe, the leader in the sector is the European Center for Medium-term Meteorological Forecasting, ECMWFfrom Reading (United Kingdom).
Well, it seems that the extreme heat that we are already experiencing can continue at least until the beginning of August (except for fast storm breaks on some regions, especially in the north), when the large high pressure field of African origindestined to impose itself more and more significantly on the Mediterranean basin.
The latest screening of the European Center confirms a trend devoted to the great heat in the traditionally highlight of the italian holidays: as we can see from the map below you can see some colored areas of rossowell that color as reported in the legend indicates temperatures well above average up to + 5/6 ° C; According to current data, the Northern regions appear to be at greatest risk, followed by those of the Center (especially the Tyrrhenian side).
The most worrying fact is that this thermal anomaly affects almost the entire Old Continent, from the Iberian Peninsula to Russia, confirming the exceptional nature of this summer which risks being among the hottest ever recorded in Europe.
For this reason it is absolutely legitimate to speak of “risk“: in practice, in fact, it is about repeated heat waves arriving from the heart of Africa (Sahara Desert), with peaks ready to splash diffusely above 35 ° C, especially in Val Padanaon the inland areas of the two Major islands and on part of the Central-southern peninsular.
Using the word “risk” is absolutely appropriate because these anomalous and hot phases must be treated in the same way as “waves of bad weather” as they can cause serious damage: prolonged droughts, health problems and last but not least the indirect danger of extreme weather events. In fact, all this excess heat also increases the potential energy involved, with the consequence of having hailstorms and storms whenever drafts of fresh air manage to “pierce” the anticyclonic shield.
So it’s right to talk about holidays at riskalthough not due to rain and thunderstorms, but for a different reason.
Summer should therefore continue on this climatic trend, with continuous flashes of hot air from Africa, as announced by the latest seasonal projections by the very authoritative European Center.
Temperatures above average up to + 5/6 ° C especially in Central and Northern Italy (source: ECMWF)
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