The United Nations weather agency has voiced “concern” that hot air producing a record-breaking heatwave across much of Western Europe is headed towards Greenland and that it could lead to a faster ice melt.
Heat records in France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany tumbled in recent days as hot air surged northwards from North Africa and Spain, sending the mercury soaring upwards of 40C.
World Meteorological Organization (WMO) spokesperson Clare Nullis said in the Swiss city of Geneva on Friday that forecasts suggest the air is heading towards Greenland.
This would result in “high temperatures and consequently enhanced melting of the Greenland ice sheet”, Nullis said.
Ice has been melting at high levels over the last few weeks in Greenland, according to WMO.
Nullis cited data from Denmark’s Polar Portal, which measures the daily gains and losses in surface mass of the Greenland ice sheet.
