Extreme weather grips Northern Hemisphere

Extreme weather conditions are set to persist in parts of the Northern Hemisphere in coming weeks as meteorologists forecast record-breaking temperatures and unusually dry conditions.

Strong winds, coupled with heat and minimal rainfall, have seen wildfires erupt across Europe and North America, with Russia declaring an emergency as devastating forest fires continue to burn large areas of the Arctic Circle. In several Asian countries, authorities have issued top danger-level alerts to their citizens, urging them to stay indoors and avoid any physical activity, as temperatures across the continent rise.

Global temperatures saw June marked as the 12th consecutive month the world was 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer than pre-industrial time, the European climate service Copernicus said.

Most of this heat, trapped by human-caused climate change, is from long-term warming from greenhouse gases emitted by the burning of coal, oil and natural gas, scientists say.