Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Russian agency: Russia will conduct a nuclear test if the US does
Al-Nakhalah: We are the rightful owners, and we must fight to retrieve our rights
Al-Nakhalah: The enemy and its allies must know that we can never surrender to their terms and diktats after all the sacrifices made
Al-Nakhalah: The prisoner exchange clause can be completed in the next few days, and thus we will have pulled the [explosion] fuse and removed the enemy's justifications for aggression
Al-Nakhalah: The Resistance has expressed its willingness to negotiate on the basis that there are items that can be dealt with positively, the first of which is the prisoner exchange item
Al-Nakhalah: Trump's plan entails the Palestinian people's declaration of complete surrender to the enemy
PIJ Secretary-General, Ziyad al-Nakhalah, in an address aired on Al Mayadeen: The Resistance is engaging in a fierce negotiating battle under the so-called Trump plan
Russian Federation Council approves joint military cooperation agreement with Cuba
Al-Nunu: Today, the lists of prisoners required to be released, the agreed-upon criteria and numbers, were exchanged
Al-Nunu from Sharm el-Sheikh: Negotiations focused on mechanisms for implementing an end to the war, the withdrawal of occupation forces from the Gaza Strip, and the exchange of prisoners

Record-high winter temps in Europe affect tourism, natural ecosystems

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 8 Jan 2023 17:55
  • 1 Shares
3 Min Read

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said that several countries in Europe saw recently record-breaking heat, and scientists say heatwaves are becoming more common throughout the year.

  • x
  • Skiers pass on a small layer of an artificial snow slope between grassland amid warmer-than-usual winter temperatures in the Alps in Filzmoos, Austria, January 5, 2023. REUTERSPIX
    Skiers pass on a small layer of an artificial snow slope between grassland amid warmer-than-usual winter temperatures in the Alps in Filzmoos, Austria, January 5, 2023. (REUTERSPIX)

The recent days have seen an "extreme" warm winter in Europe amid record-breaking temperatures for January across the region, as per experts.

While temperatures are rising globally due to climate change, heatwaves and spells of warmer-than-average weather are becoming more common throughout the year, according to scientists.

After the searing summer heat and the unprecedented drought, a wave of warm weather across Europe has melted the snow in the Alps and the Pyrenees, where temperatures above 20 degrees Celsius (68 degrees Fahrenheit) have been witnessed even in normally-freezing central regions.    

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said that several countries in Europe saw record-breaking heat on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.

Commenting on this winter heatwave, Freja Vamborg, the Senior Scientist at Europe's Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), said it is an "extreme" heat event in terms of how far temperatures have deviated from what is actually expected at this time of year.    

"On the 1st of January there was strong flow of air from the southwest across the affected area, which would have brought warmer air further north and penetrated unusually far east, reaching even to Belarus. Minimal snow cover was very probably another relevant factor," Vamborg said, answering a question about the causes of this event. 

Related News

Climate change drives record temperatures in Japan and South Korea

The world just observed its highest temperature ever recorded

"The circulation of any given weather situation and climate change are not two independent things. Climate change itself also has an impact on the circulation, and will also impact how warm those moving air masses are. This is what makes it so complex to disentangle just simply a weather event, from the level to which climate change influenced such an event," she added.

Regarding how climate change is involved, she said that "heatwaves and warm spells are becoming more frequent and intense," pointing out that "this is not restricted to the summer months," as "winters are also becoming warmer as a result of global temperatures."    

To explain, she said that "Northern Europe has warmed more strongly in winter than in summer."

Read: Climate change threatens future of Winter Olympics, says skier

These high winter temperatures have definitely an impact on tourism and natural ecosystems, Vamborg said.

While warm temperatures during winter mean "less need for heating of housing and other infrastructures, low snow cover affects the winter tourism industry," she noted, adding that "possible impacts on natural ecosystems, include early return from hibernation, which may have negative impacts if followed by much less mild/freezing conditions."    

"The overall impact will be different depending on the longevity and intensity of the event." 

Check out: Temperature records broken in recent days... Europe is facing a “warm winter”

  • Europe
  • Climate change
  • Temperature
STOP THE HEAT: A Climate Change Coverage

STOP THE HEAT: A Climate Change Coverage

Most Read

Tucker Carlson speaks at a memorial for Charlie Kirk, Sunday, September 21, 2025, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona (AP)

Tucker Carlson: Israeli officers gave orders on Iran inside Pentagon

  • Politics
  • 2 Oct 2025
A Hamas fighter in combat fatigues stands before the ceremony for the handover of Israeli captives to the Red Cross in Nuseirat, central Gaza Strip, Saturday, February 22, 2025 (AP)

Hamas responds to Trump plan, backs Gaza withdrawal, exchange

  • Politics
  • 3 Oct 2025
Mossad’s secret role in Aldo Moro’s 1978 murder revealed

Mossad’s secret role in Aldo Moro’s 1978 murder exposed

  • Politics
  • 5 Oct 2025
Al-Quds Brigades strike a command and control center north of Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, in an undated screengrab from the al-Quds Brigades military media

Gaza resistance announces major operations against Israeli forces

  • Politics
  • 1 Oct 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
Retired Israeli General Brik says Israel has reached point of no return.
Politics

Retired Israeli General Brik: 'Israel has reached point of no return'

Depleted by foreign wars, US seeks to re-arm for another confrontation
Politics

Depleted by foreign wars, US seeks to re-arm for another confrontation

Gaza’s newborns gasp for life as hospitals collapse amid Israeli war
Health

Gaza newborns gasp for life, share oxygen masks amid collapsed system

UK arms exports to 'Israel' reach record high despite ban calls
Politics

UK arms exports to 'Israel' reach record high despite ban calls

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS