Photo essay

Israel’s first summer scorcher expected to last until middle of next week

Temperatures set to rise above 35 degrees Celsius throughout the eastern part of the country

By ToI Staff 13 July 2023, 10:36 pm

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A snail hides in his shell as it hangs to a dry stalk while the sun rises over a field in Hadera, July 13, 2023. (AP/Ariel Schalit)
Children cool off in Ein Aviel springs near Aviel, Israel, Thursday, July 13, 2023. (AP/Ariel Schalit)
Men shower at a public beach as they take refuge from a summer heat wave in Tel Aviv, Israel on Thursday, July 13, 2023. (AP/Maya Alleruzzo)
A woman holds her child as religious and secular women take refuge from a summer heat wave at a public beach on one of three days in the week designated for women in Ashdod, Israel on Thursday, July 13, 2023. (AP/Maya Alleruzzo)
An elephant sprays itself with water at Israel's Safari Zoo in Ramat Gan, north of the Mediterranean coastal city of Tel Aviv, as temperatures reach over 35 degrees Celsius on July 13, 2023. (JACK GUEZ / AFP)
A lion licks a frozen mix of egg and meat at Israel's Safari Zoo in Ramat Gan on July 13, 2023. (JACK GUEZ / AFP)
A South American Coati licks a block of frozen fruits at Israel's Safari Zoo in Ramat Gan, as temperatures soar, on July 13, 2023. (JACK GUEZ / AFP)

The first heat wave of the summer is expected to continue in Israel throughout next week, according to the Israel Meteorology Service.

Temperatures are expected to rise above 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) throughout the eastern part of the country. While the coastal region is not expected to reach such temperatures, the humidity in the area will necessitate precautionary measures.

The increased frequency of heat waves has been a notable effect of climate change.

According to a study published in the journal Nature on Monday, heat waves in Europe were responsible for over 61,000 deaths in 2022.

Last week saw records broken on consecutive days for the world’s hottest day on record, hitting an average of 17.18 Celsius (62.9 degrees Fahrenheit), according to initial measurements taken by US meteorologists.

The measurement surpasses the previous daily record of 16.92 C (62.45 F) set on July 24 last year, according to data from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Prediction going back to 1979.

The average global temperature typically continues to rise until the end of July or beginning of August.

Even last month, average global temperatures were the warmest the European Union’s Copernicus climate monitoring unit had ever recorded for the start of June.

Temperatures are likely to rise even further above historical averages over the next year with the onset of an El Nino weather phenomenon in the Pacific Ocean, which the World Meteorological Organization confirmed on Monday is now underway.

In addition, human activity — mainly the burning of fossil fuels — is continuing to emit roughly 40 billion metric tons of planet-warming CO2 into the atmosphere every year.