June 2017 did not become the hottest month in history, but he took second place in the ranking. As reported by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), June “has become a continuation of the exceptional global heat,” which has been maintained since mid-2015. ”
Experts explain that “the average temperature on the surface of the Earth was the second after June 2016, the warmest of the recorded” in time systematic scientific observations of the weather and climate.
In addition, “in addition to high temperatures” in June, extreme weather events occurred in a number of areas of the planet. They continued in July.
In the Old World, June was “much warmer than the average for the period 1981-2010 for southern and central Europe, especially in the Iberian Peninsula, where devastating fires have flared in Portugal,” notes WMO. Waves of heat moved from the Iberian peninsula to the south-east of Europe, the Balkans and the Mediterranean region. In many countries, the thermometer rose above 40 degrees. The heat was often accompanied by destructive winds, downpours and floods.
The German Meteorological Service, which is the WMO Regional Center for Climate Monitoring, predicts “at least for the first half of July” temperatures above normal and heat waves from Italy and the Balkans to the Caucasus and the Middle East. ” The average temperature is expected to be 3 degrees above normal and will exceed 40 degrees. It should also be prepared for thunderstorms, downpours and forest fires.
At the same time, meteorologists pay attention to the contrast between hot weather in the south-west and very cold in the northeast of Europe, in particular, in Russia. In the last two days of June, 185% of the average monthly rainfall rate fell. In Moscow, according to WMO, June has become the coldest in the last 14 years. In Siberia, weather anomalies were also observed: very cold weather was replaced in the second half of the month by very warm weather.
Temperatures above average values were observed in Morocco and in the north of Algeria, as well as in most parts of South America. In the coastal strip of Antarctica, in many places it was warmer than usual, but in the eastern part of the Antarctic, on the contrary, it was colder.
On June 29, the Iranian city of Ahvaz recorded 53.7 degrees Celsius. In some places in Iraq and Kuwait, the temperature exceeded 50 degrees. In the southwestern United States, the day was particularly hot on June 20: in Las Vegas it was 47.2 degrees Celsius, and in the town of Needles it was 51.7 degrees, which in both cases was a record magnitude. In Phoenix, the capital of Arizona, the temperature rose to 48.3 degrees – because of the heat had to cancel several flights from the international airport.
In China, the monsoon season was accompanied by showers more than usual. In Beijing, due to pouring rain on July 6, more than 600 flights were canceled. In Bangladesh, the Mura cyclone in the end of May caused destruction and casualties, followed by heavy rains of the monsoon season, which led to floods and landslides. According to the authorities, as of July 5, about 900 thousand people were affected by the floods.
In Australia, June this year became the most arid in the history of meteorological observations. In general, the country has 62% less rainfall than usual.
