After a brief dip in temperatures at the start of the month, Europe is set for a mild and dry November, offering some relief from the extreme weather that characterized the unusually warm October, Bloomberg reports.
According to meteorologists, temperatures across the continent will be warmer than the 30-year average, following an October that saw record-breaking warmth and devastating flooding in France and Spain. The severe weather disrupted farmers’ winter sowing, but the anticipated dry and mild conditions should provide a window for catch-up efforts in the coming weeks.
While the southeast of Europe is expected to experience cooler and wetter conditions in the first half of November, the rest of the region is predicted to remain dry and mild, said Jason Nicholls, a meteorologist at AccuWeather Inc. Notably, the Iberian Peninsula, despite a wet start to the month, is expected to end up drier than usual.
The milder temperatures are likely due to the ongoing effects of global warming, which has seen summer heat extend into September and even October in Europe. This trend is leading to increased threats from extreme weather events, including floods, violent storms, and wildfires.
The reduced heating demand associated with the mild weather is anticipated to help preserve natural gas inventories. This, combined with easing tensions in the Middle East, has led to a drop in benchmark fuel prices this week.
Specific areas like Norway, Sweden, southern France, and the north of the Iberian Peninsula are expected to experience the most significant deviations from the average temperature norm in the first half of the month, according to Matthew Dross, a meteorologist at Maxar Technologies Inc. The British Isles, France, Germany, Italy, and southeast Europe are expected to see drier than usual conditions around the middle of November.
However, the beginning of the month will see a windstorm sweeping across northern Scotland, Scandinavia, and northeast Europe, Nicholls cautioned. Late November is expected to bring increased risks of windstorms across northwest Europe, along with wetter conditions.
