Heat waves in the United States

More than 47,000 people died in Europe due to scorching temperatures in 2023, with countries in the region's south hit the hardest, according to a report by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) published on Monday.

Last month was the hottest July on record, making it the fourteenth straight record-breaking month, a U.S. environmental agency reported on Aug. 12.

The monthly report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) also said that 2024 now has a 77 percent chance of being the warmest year on record.

Türkiye experienced the highest temperatures in Europe last month amidst a heat wave originating from Africa, a meteorology expert has stated.

A red code for extreme heat has been issued for the majority of major Italian cities amid an intensifying heat wave across Europe, the BBC reported.

Temperatures are expected to peak on Wednesday, with the warning in place for 23 cities, from Trieste in the northeast to Messina in the southwest.

Code red means the heat is a danger to everyone, not just vulnerable groups.

The heatwave engulfing the northern hemisphere, including Greece, is set to intensify this week, causing overnight temperatures to surge and leading to an increased risk of heart attacks and deaths, the World Meteorological Organization said on Tuesday.

Tens of millions of Americans were facing dangerously high temperatures Friday as a powerful heat wave stretched from California to Texas, with its peak expected this weekend.

A heat dome has been baking the southwestern states all week, posing serious health risks to the elderly, construction workers, delivery workers and the homeless.

As Earth enters into a new warming phase following the onset of the El Nino phenomenon, weather patterns are shifting drastically, with Türkiye, as in the rest of the world, witnessing sweltering heat as a result.