Relentless Heat Wave Roasts Russia
By Andrew Freedman
(Originally published on Washington Post's Capital Weather Gang blog)
While the mid-Atlantic has suffered through a sultry summer so far, conditions have not been nearly as extreme as in parts of Europe, particularly Russia. The Russian heat wave of July and August, along with related drought conditions and wildfires, have garnered international headlines in recent weeks, and will surely be studied by climate scientists and public health experts for years to come, both for its intensity and duration.
The statistics are staggering. According to meteorologist Jeff Masters of Weather Underground, at least 26 days in a row have had temperatures exceeding 86 degrees Fahrenheit in Moscow, and those conditions are expected to continue for at least the next several days. Moscovites are simply not used to such scorching temperatures. The city's typical July daily high temperature is just 74°F, with an average August daily high of 68°F.
Authorities have already estimated that about 5,000 people may have died from the heat in Moscow alone, but that figure is expected to rise considerably, especially considering that the city has met or exceeded what had been its all-time record high temperature of 99°F five times, and has been blanketed by acrid smoke from nearby wildfires...
Read more at Washington Post's Capital Weather Gang blog.
