Eiffel Tower restricts access... "Concerns over deformation from the heat"
Heat dome formation becomes more frequent as air mass stagnation intensifies
On the 1st (local time), in the vicinity of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, where a heatwave warning was issued, a city sanitation worker is spraying water to cool down the heat. From this day, access to the top of the Eiffel Tower for sightseeing is restricted. Photo by EPA Yonhap News
The Eiffel Tower, a landmark tourist attraction in Paris, France, has restricted visitor access due to concerns over structural deformation caused by extreme heat, drawing significant attention. In Southern Europe, including Spain and Portugal, record-breaking heatwaves have pushed daytime temperatures above 46 degrees Celsius, leading to a series of large-scale wildfires. There are growing concerns that this year's heatwaves will be even more severe, as a 'heat dome'?which has formed earlier than usual due to global warming?has settled over Europe and is lingering for an extended period.
Paris Eiffel Tower restricts tourism due to intensifying heatwave..."Concerns over deformation from the heat"
On July 1 (local time), French authorities announced via the Eiffel Tower's official website that access to the top of the Eiffel Tower would be restricted. As the highest-level red heatwave alert was issued across France, entry to the Eiffel Tower was limited after 2:30 p.m. The Eiffel Tower management stated, "Customers who pre-purchased tickets will be automatically refunded," and added, "We will resume welcoming visitors from the 3rd."
The reason for the restriction is safety concerns over potential structural deformation caused by the intense heat. The French daily Le Parisien reported the previous day that the Eiffel Tower could experience deformation of about 20 centimeters during the heatwave period. French historian and architect Bertrand Lemoine explained, "The side exposed to the sun expands, while the shaded side contracts, causing the tower to bend slightly toward the sun," adding, "It is a subtle phenomenon that is difficult to perceive."
On this day, the daytime high in Paris approached 38 degrees Celsius, and some areas saw temperatures exceed 40 degrees, prompting an emergency heatwave response. Heatwave alerts were issued in 84 out of 96 regions nationwide. From this day through the 2nd, a total or partial closure was implemented at 1,350 public schools across France.
Heat dome engulfs all of Europe...Spain surpasses 46 degrees
On the 1st (local time), firefighters are battling a large-scale wildfire that broke out in the Andalusia region of Spain. Photo by EPA
Not only France but the entire European continent is experiencing widespread damage from the heatwave. According to CNN, large-scale wildfires have broken out in various parts of Southern Europe, including the Andalusia region of Spain and the Izmir region of T?rkiye. Whereas wildfires started at the end of July last year, this year they began about a month earlier.
In Spain and Portugal, the previous day's maximum daytime temperature reached 46 degrees Celsius, which is more than 10 degrees higher than the average for early summer, increasing the risk of wildfire spread. The European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS) warned, "The risk of wildfires is extremely high in southern Spain, southern Italy, Sardinia, Sicily, southern Greece, and the Aegean Islands."
This European heatwave is attributed to a massive heat dome phenomenon that originated along the Mediterranean coast. A heat dome refers to a meteorological phenomenon in which a high-pressure system of hot air remains over one area for an extended period, trapping heat in both the upper and lower layers of the atmosphere, much like a rounded dome roof. This year, the surface temperature of the Mediterranean Sea has risen more than 9 degrees Celsius above average since early summer, causing a high-pressure system of hot air to form along the North African coast. This high-pressure system has spread across Europe, intensifying the heat dome phenomenon. The BBC pointed out, "A large and powerful high-pressure system of hot air is forming a massive heat dome, blocking the inflow of outside air into the lower atmosphere."
Global warming pushes jet stream south...Heat dome stagnation intensifies
On the 26th of last month (local time), most of the perennial snow melted in the Kandersteg area of Switzerland. Photo by Reuters
The reason this year's heat dome is causing even more extreme heat in Europe is that the air mass is stagnating for longer periods, preventing the heat from dissipating. Michael Byrne, a professor at the University of St Andrews in the UK, told the BBC, "Global warming has strengthened the heat dome itself compared to previous years, and the jet stream in the upper atmosphere has weakened, leading to more frequent and longer-lasting heat domes," adding, "We must rapidly and gradually phase out fossil fuel use going forward."
According to the Royal Meteorological Society of the UK, temperatures in the Arctic region this year have risen about four times faster than usual, causing the Arctic jet stream to shift southward into mid-latitude regions. This jet stream is currently disrupting the flow of air masses near the heat dome over Europe, preventing the high-pressure system of hot air from escaping the continent.
Although this heat dome is expected to ease after mid-July, the European heatwave that began in early summer is now likely to continue through October this year. The European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) projected, "Europe's temperature rise is twice the global average and is progressing at the fastest rate," and added, "This year's early and extreme heatwave is expected to persist through September and October."
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