He 4th of October, The station of the State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) of Frontera, in El Hierro, measured the second highest temperature in a month of October in Spain since records exist. Were 40.6ºC, surpassed only by the 43.2ºC that were measured in Puerto Pájara (Fuerteventura) in 2017. But this heat is not just a thing of the Canary Islands. Temperatures are also being reached on the Peninsula that make the only autumnal thing about this fall in its name.
All this happens after a suffocating summer. The third hottest since records exist. It is clear that climate change has a lot to do with the high temperatures of October. But, even so, there must be more specific culprits.
According to the AEMET, the explanation of this not very autumnal heat one has it anticyclonic ridge at middle levels of the troposphere, which has combined with a surface anticyclone. Now, what does all this mean if we translate it from the meteorologist into Spanish? And, more importantly, how long will it last?
Key concepts
An anticyclonic ridge is a large area of high pressures, which takes the form of a ridge on weather maps. It is the complete opposite of a troughwith a valley shape and low pressures.
As for the anticyclones In general, they are regions with atmospheric pressures higher than the air around them, in which, in the northern hemisphere, air rotates clockwise. All this causes that, unlike with a cyclone, the weaker currents descend towards the surface. The result is the understanding of air, like when we press down on the plunger of a syringe. When a gas is pressed, it heats up, and when its pressure decreases, it cools. Therefore, the first consequence of all this is that temperatures increase.
On the other hand, this plunger descending prevents the humid layers of the earth’s surface from rising to higher layers, condensing and forming clouds. It is not raining, but, in addition, since the sky is clear, the Sun hits the surface even more, making it more heat.
This October, Europe is surrounded by a huge anticyclone, which is leaving very high temperatures. in Spain, but also in other countries, such as Portugal, France, Italy, Austria or the Czech Republic. Possibly, at the end of this week, the heat will slowly begin to leave us, with the arrival of a trough on Friday, October 13. But perhaps we are still missing the conventional autumn that has stolen our time. climate change.
The climate change that has stolen the autumn of the month of October from us
Autumn began in September. October should already be marked by a drop in temperatures and some rain, but we have not yet seen one or the other.
At the moment, everything has a meteorological explanation. But does this have anything to do with climate change? The truth is that yes.
According to meteorologists, rising global temperatures are favoring that the anticyclones persist for longer after summer. For these to withdraw, they must be pushed by stormsbut for these to form, a cold air massincreasingly difficult to reach.
Therefore, although there may be exceptional episodes of heat in autumnthis very warm October, maintained over time, does have a lot to do with climate change.
Breaking heat records
Despite everything, the summer of 2023 has not been the hottest in Spain. In fact, New research shows that this record is held by the summer of 2022in which the highest temperatures in recent years were reached 700 years. Even so, 2023 is very close, it has also broken many records, with endless heat waves and stifling temperatures. Now, autumn does not give us the expected respite, the mosquitoes continue to visit us as if it were the month of July and the heat remains practically the same, with only the occasional drop in temperatures at night.
Perhaps the fall of 2023 will reach the records of the summer of 2022. And these are not records to be proud of. These are records that should worry us about the world we are leaving for the youngest and those who are yet to arrive. It is something we should think about, no matter how pleasant it may seem to take a swim on the beach in the middle of October.