Large swathes of southern Europe continue to swelter in record heat as wildfires rage across the continent. Fire crews battled blazes in Greece and the Swiss Alps. Scientists say climate change is making heatwaves longer, more intense and more frequent.
Extreme heat from a high-pressure system named Cerberus — after the three-headed hound from Dante’s Inferno — is now bearing down on Italy, Greece and the Balkans. The Italian Ministry of Health warned of “emergency” heat wave conditions in 15 cities, including Rome, Florence and Bologna, over the next three days, with temperatures expected to soar above 40°C (104°F).
CNN’s Laura Paddison spoke to Hannah Cloke, a climate scientist and professor at the University of Reading.
“The hot air which pushed in from Africa is now staying put, with settled high pressure conditions meaning that heat in warm sea, land and air continues to build,” Cloke explained.
By Team GT
