Intense and long-lasting heatwave expected over Europe

A massive heat dome over the Mediterranean Sea is set to bring another long-lasting, intense heatwave across parts of southern Europe this week. High temperatures are expected to spread into central Europe and continue through August 22.

Southern Italy, especially Sicily, Malta, and parts of the western Balkan Peninsula are already feeling the effects today.

The heat will spread into Corsica and central Italy on August 10 and further into the Balkan Peninsula and almost entire Greece.

August 11 will see temperatures spreading further east and north, into Spain and France, and Switzerland and Austria on August 12.

Spain will see the worst of it from around August 13, as well as northern Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, and Hungary.

Central European countries will see the worst temperatures around August 16, lasting through August 21.

Colder air will reach UK, France and northern Spain around August 17 and spread to central Europe by August 22.

Forecast models

Heat dome parks over the Mediterranean

"The upper-level ridge, known as the blocking High pattern, often forms a so-called heat dome," Marko Korosec of Severe Weather Europe said. "This pattern brings very high, sometimes record-challenging temperatures for the region underneath."

"A heat dome is a term that we use when a large area of high pressure is parked over a large portion of the continent and stays there for days or even weeks as we could see this summer."

"The simple explanation of the heat dome is that it works like a lid on a pot. The large dome is trapping a very warm air mass at all levels underneath, especially at the lowest elevations. It is creating very stable weather and often also very dry air mass with minimal chances for precipitation, or even clouds. Thanks to sinking air parcels in the center of the heat dome."

Featured image credit: GFS, TropicalTidbits. 850 hPa Temperature Anomaly for August 18, 2021