Climate change in Europe

As 2024 nears its end, Greece is poised to record its hottest year in history, surpassing the scorching records set in 2023. This relentless escalation in temperatures vividly illustrates the growing impact of climate change on the region's weather patterns.

Preliminary data reveal that 78% of 2024's days - 272 out of 348 through mid-December - experienced above-average temperatures.

On October 27, when we switch to winter time, we'll enjoy pleasant autumn weather with temperatures above the seasonal average.

Early in the morning, it will be chilly, with minimum temperatures ranging between 2° and 7°C in most of Bulgaria.

Bulgaria is set for sunny weather on Wednesday, October 16, according to the National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology. A moderate to strong north-northeasterly wind will bring in colder air. Temperatures are expected to reach between 15°C and 16°C in Northeastern Bulgaria, while Southern Bulgaria may see highs of 21°C to 23°C. Sofia is forecasted to have a temperature of around 19°C.

This weekend, Bulgaria is set to experience a dramatic shift in weather, bidding farewell to the recent heat wave. According to the National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology (NIMH), Saturday, September 28, will start off sunny, although some areas, particularly in Eastern Bulgaria, may see low cloud cover and fog in the morning.

This summer officially marked the hottest summer in Türkiye since 1970, with approximately 76 million people experiencing at least 30 days of exceptionally high temperatures brought on by climate change, according to the Climate Shift Index (CSI) conducted by the scientists from the international research organization Climate Central.

The summer months of 2024 were not only the hottest on record but also marked by prolonged periods of high temperatures. The Copernicus service notes: “What we are experiencing is not just numbers in a record book, but weather that affects people’s lives.”

Unprecedented Heat

What does the future hold for EU climate policies? Next week's unveiling of the new European Commission will be watched closely for clues—at a time when defending the environment has slipped down the list of priorities in Brussels.

It is a far cry from five years ago.

The summer of 2024 was the hottest on record in Greece, according to the preliminary data from the Meteo weather service of the National Observatory of Athens.

The season was characterized by prolonged heat waves across the country, with temperatures far exceeding normal seasonal levels.

The summer of 2024, encompassing June, July, and August, has been recorded as the hottest and one of the driest in Bulgaria since the start of the century. According to the National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology (NIMH), the highest temperature measured was 42.2 degrees Celsius in Sandanski on July 16.

The European Union has coordinated a record number of emergency responses to extreme weather this year, as climate change fuels wildfires and other disasters in Europe, the world's fastest-warming continent.