At least 94 million people across Europe have been exposed to extreme heat of 35 degrees Celsius or higher, while more than 350 million people, roughly two-thirds of the continent's population, are living in areas where temperatures have exceeded 30 degrees Celsius, according to recent estimates by AFP.
In Denmark, a country better known for wind and rain than blistering heat, temperatures have surged to levels never seen since modern records began in the 19th century. In Germany and the Czech Republic, temperatures have climbed above 40 degrees Celsius, forcing closures of major highways, public facilities, hospitals, schools, and museums.
In Switzerland and France, heat alerts stretch across wide regions as millions endure conditions that now feel less like anomalies with rising numbers of heat-related illnesses, including heatstroke.
According to France's public health agency, Santé publique France (SpF), deaths rose sharply after June 23, the hottest day on record, when temperatures in some cities including the capital city of Paris exceeded 40 degrees. More than 1,200 people died from all causes on June 24, rising to over 1,400 on each of the following two days, well above the normal daily average of 900 to 1,000.
Meteorologists blame a persistent "omega heat dome" as the main culprit, trapping hot air over the continent like a lid on a pot. What was once considered extreme is now becoming routine. Fed by scorching air masses from North Africa and reinforced by stagnant atmospheric conditions, the high-pressure system has gradually expanded across much of the continent, leaving people struggling through prolonged nights with little relief, when cities are supposed to cool, and straining infrastructure that was never designed to withstand such heat.
But what is striking about these heatwaves is not simply their intensity, as they are no longer confined to the Mediterranean. Scientists increasingly view them as part of a broader shift in the global climate.
The World Meteorological Organization said in its annual forecast last month that there is a high chance the next five years will see the hottest year ever recorded, with the world already about 1.3 to 1.9 degrees Celsius warmer than pre-industrial levels.
Europe's record-breaking summer is not an isolated phenomenon but part of a widening pattern of climate change across the Northern Hemisphere. It is also becoming a recurring feature of summers across the world, driven by similar factors such as warmer oceans, weaker jet streams, and more persistent blocking patterns that trap heat. For this reason, what is happening there now offers a glimpse of what is coming elsewhere, including much of Asia, which is likely to face similar conditions more regularly in the years ahead.
In mid-May, an extreme heatwave gripping South Asia already pushed temperatures to around 45 degrees in parts of India and Pakistan, with unusually high nighttime temperatures straining power grids and increasing heatstroke risks.
South Korea has also begun to feel these shifts, as heatwaves have grown longer, more intense, and more frequent in recent years and may become even more common in the coming decade, bringing heat that is not only hotter but harder to escape.
Besides, it is not just hotter summers, but increasingly unpredictable ones, going beyond anything previously seen. For example, South Korea's monsoon season has not yet begun this year. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, it is now expected to start in July. This has only happened twice before, in 1982 and 2021, since relevant records began in 1973. Concerns are already growing that this later-than-usual monsoon could lead to more intense, short-duration heavy downpours.
Heat rarely occurs alone but often comes with other compounding extremes. It can worsen drought, increase the risk of wildfires, and intensify sudden storms. Its effects also go beyond discomfort. Higher temperatures increase summer energy demand, make densely populated cities such as Seoul, Tokyo, and Shanghai even hotter, and raise public health risks for the elderly, outdoor workers and other vulnerable groups.
For Asia, the lesson from Europe's unprecedented heatwaves is not only about rising temperatures or unpredictable weather but also about the importance of preparedness and readiness.
Heatwaves that were once brief disruptions may increasingly become prolonged events. Likewise, peak energy demand may become a regular occurrence of every summer rather than an occasional challenge.
Europe is simply the latest place where this has become most visible. What is happening there today is likely to be familiar elsewhere tomorrow.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.
