September in Europe was warmest in history

Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Poland, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom all registered the hottest September on record, almost four degrees above the long-term average. The European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3s) expects 2023 to become the hottest year humanity has ever experienced.

French weather authority Météo-France said September’s average temperature was 21.5 degrees Celsius, between 3.5 and 3.6 degrees above the average from the 1991-2020 reference period.

That made it the hottest September – up by one degree from the previous all-time high – since records began in 1900, meteorologist Christine Berne told the Guardian, adding that in several regions the deviation from the September average of the past three decades had exceeded four degrees.

September heatwave alerts were issued in France for the first time

The average in France in September was higher than in July and August, which was 21.1 degrees Celsius. September heatwave alerts were issued in the country for the first time, Météo-France noted.

Germany recorded an average of 17.2 degrees in September – almost four notches above the 1961-1990 average.

Swiss glaciers lost 10% of their volume in the last two years

“The extraordinary temperatures in this year’s record September in Germany are further evidence that we are in the midst of climate change,” said Tobias Fuchs, head of the climate and environment division at the German Weather Service (DWD).

Austria and Switzerland recorded the hottest-ever average September temperatures. In addition, a study revealed that Swiss glaciers lost 10% of their volume in just two years due to extreme warming.

Belgium has never experienced a month of September this warm

“Belgium has never experienced a month of September this warm”, said David Dehenauw of the Belgian Royal Meteorological Institute. September in Belgium was hotter than July and August, which has not happened since 1961.

Poland saw its hottest September on record, with temperatures 3.6 degrees Celsius above average.

High temperatures continue in October

Record-high daily temperatures for October have already been reached in many places.

Scientists say climate change driven by human activity is pushing global temperatures higher. The world is currently experiencing around 1.2 degrees Celsius of warming above pre-industrial levels.

The Copernicus Climate Change Service has forecasted that 2023 would be the hottest year ever recorded. The rise in temperature is partly due to the El Niño weather phenomenon, which has just begun and is heating up the waters of the South Pacific.

Next month, Dubai will host the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP28. The summit will gather world leaders to discuss how to curb climate change and meet the goals set out in the Paris Agreement. One of the main topics will be the phasing out of fossil fuels to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat the planet’s warming.