Beijing, 1 Nov (Xinhua) -- Europe has entered autumn, but the temperature in many countries remains high, far exceeding the average of previous years, arousing worries about abnormal climate.
Agence France-Presse reported on October 31, citing data from the US think tank Climate Station, that in the past 12 months, 4 of the 10 European cities most affected by global warming are located in Spain, namely Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and Zaragoza.
People watch sheep pass through the streets of Madrid, Spain, on October 23. On that day, the annual festival of transitorship was held in Madrid. Xinhua News Agency (Photo by Gustavo Baliente)
At 8:30 a.m. local time on the 28th, the temperature in the northern Spanish resort of San Sebastián reached 30.3 degrees Celsius. San Sebastián's Basque Country has recently seen several wildfires, and the local government has banned outdoor barbecues and fireworks to prevent risks.
According to Rubén del Campo, an official with Spain's National Meteorological Service, it was almost certainly the hottest October in Spain since records began in 1961. If you combine historical trends in temperature, this year could be the hottest month in a century.
"It's normal for temperatures over 30 degrees Celsius for a day or two," Del Campo said, "but for so many days, it's not normal." It's summer temperatures, and we're already entering autumn. ”
A woman walks in the Cindem Anniversary Park in Brussels, Belgium, on October 21. (Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zheng Huansong)
October in France is also unusually warm. According to the French Météo-Mart data, the temperature in the southwest region on the 28th approached 30 degrees Celsius. The highest temperature in Brussels, the capital of Belgium, was 24 degrees Celsius on the 29th, 10 degrees Celsius higher than the average temperature at the end of October in previous years. The Met Office said that the temperature in London reached 20.5 degrees Celsius on the 26th, "close to the usual temperature at the end of August".
In the Nordic country of Sweden, the highest temperature in the southern city of Kristianstad reached 19.5 degrees Celsius on the 28th. Erik Hejgaard-Olsen, a meteorologist at the Swedish Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology, said it was the highest temperature in Sweden for the same period on record.
The World Meteorological Organization posted on social media Twitter on the 28th: "It is unbelievable that this is the temperature at the end of October, and there is an unusual high temperature in most parts of Europe." ”
This is an autumn scene taken in Berlin, the capital of Germany, on October 27. (Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Ren Pengfei)
Europe has generally encountered heat waves in many places this summer, and the temperature in many countries has reached a record high, with the highest temperature in many places exceeding 40 degrees Celsius. European meteorologists point out that the unusually warm autumn highlights the acceleration of climate change.
Del Campo, an official with Spain's National Meteorological Service, said some people may be happy about the warm weather at the moment, "but in reality, the consequences are not good", especially for Spain, a major supplier of fruits and vegetables in Europe.
According to AFP, the average level of Spanish reservoirs fell to 31.8% of reservoir capacity last week, compared with an average of 49.3% for the same period in a decade. (Liu Xiuling)