Tuesday, July 1

The Mediterranean is suffering from a major heatwave, and heat warnings have been issued for almost all of western Europe as a heat dome scorches the region.

Lately, the Mediterranean Sea has been almost 10°F warmer than usual, sparking a massive heat dome that has brought searing temperatures to the entirety of western Europe. First of all, climate change has sparked warmer temperatures in the area, heating the air. That same hot air then rises, but it becomes trapped due to the high pressure system sitting over the area. Then, as the air sinks, it warms, keeping all of the hot air in a dome-shaped region that delivers extreme heat for long periods of time.

Now, various countries in western Europe, including Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, and the United Kingdom, are experiencing record-breaking temperatures in the peak of summer. Almost all of France is under some sort of heat warning, with temperatures well into the 90s across the country-- Paris has an expected high temperature of 100°F today. Meanwhile, the UK has also been hit with high temperatures during one of the busiest times for the country as a whole; Glastonbury, a major music festival in western England, just finished up, Wimbledon has just begun, and the Formula 1 British Grand Prix is also taking place this coming weekend.

Also, forest fires are beginning to become a problem for much of Europe, which has not received much rain either. Germany is already preparing for fire season, and France's first fire was reported this past weekend. Greece and Turkey, on the other hand, have been struggling with fires for weeks, as drought conditions and strong winds have fueled major blazes.

However, the worst of the heat has hit Spain and Portugal, where many cities are experiencing scorching temperatures in the 100s. Sunday was Spain's hottest June 29 on record, and the country's all-time temperature record for the month of June (previously 113°F in Seville) was broken on Saturday after temperatures in the town of El Granado reached a staggering 115°F.

Officials are urging citizens and tourists to stay inside during peak heat hours, helping to avoid dangerous illnesses like heatstroke, and stay hydrated throughout the day. Thankfully, the heat is expected to clear up in most places by Thursday, but the danger of extreme heat continues to rise as climate change worsens. Hotter global temperatures continue to spark more fires and cause more heatwaves, and it has all been linked to the human production of greenhouse gases, which trap heat and warm the world at a rapid pace.

Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): Hershey’s Kisses are named after the kissing sound the deposited chocolate makes as it falls from the machine on the conveyor belt.

Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): I don’t think we should ever stop learning and growing as human beings. There’s always more to discover about ourselves and the world around us. (Charlize Theron)

Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Expunge (verb, ik-SPUNJ) - To expunge something is to remove it completely, whether by obliterating it, striking it out, or marking it for deletion. Expunge is most commonly applied in cases in which documentation of something is removed from an official record.

In a Sentence: Due to an error, the charges were expunged from their record.