Heat dome causes Europe’s deadly heatwave
A “heat dome” developing over southern Europe is expanding north, engulfing much of the continent in a long-lasting heatwave, with August temperatures breaking historical records
HEAT DOME FORMATION
Warming surface
Dries out, increasing temperature
HIGH PRESSURE
Anti-cyclone
Remains over region for prolonged period
Jet stream disruption
Traps pocket of warm air
Clouds diverted around dome, allowing further solar irradiation
Rising warm air trapped
Pressure causes hot air to subside
Danilovgrad MNE 42.5˚C
Plasencia ESP 41.5˚C
Florence ITA 39.8˚C
Aubenas FRA 39.6˚C
Wildfires from Iberian Peninsula to Balkans
Heat dome typically lasts four days but can persist for two weeks or more
HEATWAVE SAFETY
Relative humididty %
Air temperature ˚C
Apparent temperature
40
45
50
55
60
65
70
75
80
85
90
95
100

27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43

27
27
27
28
28
28
29
29
30
30
31
31
32

28
28
28
29
29
30
31
31
32
33
34
35
36

29
29
30
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
40

30
30
34
32
33
34
35
36
38
39
41
42
44

31
32
33
34
35
36
38
39
41
43
45
47
49

32
33
34
36
37
39
40
42
44
47
49
51
54

34
35
36
38
40
41
43
46
48
51
54
57

35
37
38
40
42
44
47
49
52
54

37
39
41
43
45
48
50
53
57

39
41
43
46
48
51
54
58

41
43
46
48
51
55
58

43
46
49
52
55
59

46
49
52
55
59

48
51
55
59

51
54
58

54
57

57
Caution
Extreme caution
Danger
Extreme danger
Sources: Geographical, Severe Weather Europe
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