North Atlantic Meltwater from Sea and Glacial Ice Can Trigger Chain of Events, Leading to European Summer Heat Waves [Study]

Meltwater from the sea and glacial ice in the North Atlantic region can trigger a chain of events that could lead to European summer heat waves, according to a new study led by researchers in the United Kingdom. The findings are based on evidence that the European summer weather is linked to anomalies from North Atlantic freshwater in previous years. This means that ice melt can reduce the regulation of warm temperatures.

Scorching temperatures amid widespread heat waves have struck Europe in recent years, resulting in wildfires and even heat-related deaths. Now, the recent research paper confirms previous evidence that ice loss in vast areas can lead to extreme temperatures and weather, just like in the Arctic. In recent decades, this natural catastrophe has been observed by scientists, who warned the impacts of climate could worsen in the coming decades.

North Atlantic Meltwater

The research was published in the journal Weather and Climate Dynamics, where a team of scientists explored the potential cause of amplified Arctic ice loss. It says that a possible link between the North Atlantic meltwater and extreme weather is an event that occurs through the ocean, where freshwater from ice melt is leading. The common factors are mainly between North Atlantic freshwater anomalies and European summer weather.

The paper suggests that summer weather in the continent can be predicted in advance, from months to years, due to the presence of higher levels of freshwater in the North Atlantic Ocean. The study's lead author, Marilena Oltmanns, states the research team is expecting the ocean-atmosphere conditions in the North Atlantic to be favorable for an unprecedented warm, dry summer over southern Europe in 2024.

In recent years, it can be recalled that the Europe summer heat waves are some of the worst natural disasters on record. In 2022, scientists estimate that 62,862 people died from heat-related deaths in Europe during the summer months of the said year.

In this figure, 61,672 deaths occurred between May 30 and September 4, with countries like France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom having the highest mortality numbers, according to a separate study published in Nature Medicine.

Ice Melt and Climate Change

Global climate change is a recurring theme often found in the works of climate scientists over the past several decades. This natural phenomenon not only includes the shifting of climates and intensifying of weather events but also the warming of temperatures worldwide. According to previous research, the impact of the current climate crisis is that it is fastest at the northern and southern poles.

Last year, scientists confirmed massive ice sheets in the Arctic region and the icy continent of Antarctica are melting faster than previously thought. Aside from controlling warm temperatures on both sides, the melting of glaciers and other icy structures can also lead to significant global sea level rise. In a 2023 study published in Nature Communications, researchers concluded that the Arctic could become "ice-free" in summer within 15 years.