Image - Ruptly
Feeling hot? No wonder. For several days now, in many parts of Spain and Europe, the mercury on thermometers has been approaching, or even exceeding, 40 degrees Celsius. It's been almost extremely hot, not only in cities and towns, but also in such beautiful natural landscapes as the Alpes.
The snow that should cover your mountains it's melting fast around the Stelvio Glacier ski resort in the Italian Alps.
With temperatures of up to 12 degrees Celsius, which was registered last Sunday, August 6, 2017, the mountains of the Italian Alps are running out of almost snow. Stelvio Glacier station appears lifeless, with the cable cars abandoned; not in vain, skiing in these conditions is very dangerous as well as complicated, so they have been forced to close indefinitely. To get a clearer idea of the snow situation in this region, you can read more about the heat wave phenomenon and its mountains, especially after the recent heat wave that has affected Mallorca and has led to extreme temperatures in various areas.
As you can see in the video, which was recorded by a drone equipped with a camera, what should be a white landscape has become grayish or blackened. There is only snow on the highest peaks, and it doesn't look like it will be able to stay there much longer. Conditions in places like the Alps have been worsening, something that may be related to the global warming and its impact on the climate, which generates extreme events such as the current heat wave.
The heat wave is being devastating, hence this nickname: LuciferIn Spain, 31 provinces have reached or are reaching temperatures of 40 degrees Celsius or more, although it is not the only country being affected by this extreme phenomenon: Romania, Croatia and Serbia are also trying to cope with what promises to be an unforgettable heat wave, as reported by ABC NewsThe impact of these high temperatures can be compared to other recent heat waves in Spain, which have been equally worrying and alarming from the point of view of public health and the environment, as well as with the temperature records that we have seen on other occasions.
When will it be finished? Soon. In a few days the temperatures will return to normal for this time of year. In the specific case of Spain, the only ones that remain on yellow alert are Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura, according to the AEMET, but the mercury is expected to reach more pleasant temperatures as the week progresses. The duration of this heat wave has raised concerns among experts, who warn of the need to be prepared for future heat waves, as has been analyzed in other studies on the impact of heat waves in various regions and how these can affect animals, as demonstrated in recent research on the impact of heat on wildlife.
