Geneva: Periods of extreme heat are becoming more frequent, more intense and lasting longer as global climate change continues to warm the planet, the United Nations’ weather agency said on Tuesday, as Europe endures another summer of drought, wildfires and record-breaking temperatures.
Parts of Europe are currently experiencing their fifth heatwave of the season, prompting renewed warnings from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) about the growing impact of rising global temperatures.
“Extreme heat is becoming more frequent, more intense, it’s lasting longer, and covering much wider areas than in the cooler climates of the past,” John Kennedy, the WMO’s head of climate information, told a briefing in Geneva.
High-pressure systems and climate change
Kennedy said the current heat pattern across Europe, the world’s fastest-warming continent, reflects the combined effect of persistent high-pressure systems and a warmer climate.
According to the WMO, high-pressure systems trap warm air, reduce cloud cover and prevent cooler air from moving into affected regions, allowing heat to build up over large areas for days or even weeks.
Kennedy noted that El Niño, the natural climate phenomenon that often contributes to higher global temperatures, is not playing a role in Europe’s heat this year because conditions in the tropical Pacific Ocean remain neutral.
Comparing 2026 with 1976
The WMO compared this year’s conditions with Europe’s notably hot summer of 1976, saying similar atmospheric pressure patterns were present then.
However, Kennedy said the outcomes are very different because of decades of global warming.
“The picture for 1976 is one of a few isolated areas above average temperatures in a much cooler world,” he said.
Today, by contrast, much of the globe is experiencing above-average temperatures, with only a limited number of cooler regions.
Warm seas and dry soils worsening the heat
Kennedy said exceptionally warm seas and increasingly dry soils are intensifying heat across Europe.
Marine heatwaves in the Mediterranean Sea and waters west of Europe are providing additional background warmth that reinforces high-pressure systems and contributes to hotter conditions on land.
At the same time, drought conditions are amplifying temperatures because dry ground heats up more rapidly than soil containing moisture.
“Lots of these factors are coming together to give us the record heat that we’re seeing this year,” Kennedy said.
The WMO’s comments come as several European countries continue to face prolonged periods of extreme heat, increasing pressure on water resources, agriculture, public health systems and wildfire response efforts.