April sets European heat records
Pastor Dale Morgan
April sets European heat records*
By Jeremy Lovell
LONDON (Reuters) - This month is set to be the warmest April in Britain
since records began nearly 350 years ago and all over Europe tourists
are slapping on the sun cream several weeks ahead of schedule.
The Met Office said the average temperature in central England from
April 1-25 was 11.1 degrees Celsius, 3.4 degrees above the norm and the
highest since records began in 1659.
Temperatures from Belgium to Italy are averaging more than three degrees
above the 30-year norm.
The office added there was a big chance of a repeat of the European
heatwave of 2003 which killed some 35,000 people and which scientists
attributed to global warming.
As the spring rain stayed away, sidewalk cafes and outdoor leisure parks
across Europe reported booming business but grain crops are showing
signs of drought stress.
In the Netherlands, the KNMI weather institute said this month had
already broken records as the warmest, driest and sunniest April and
noted global warming was one of the reasons.
The Netherlands has not had rain since March 22 and April is set to be
the driest in at least 100 years. Farmers have started pumping water
from canals and rivers to irrigate their crops.
Germany has also recorded the highest April average temperature at 12
degrees, and the most hours of sunshine at more than 276, since records
began in 1901, according to preliminary estimates by the German Weather
Service (DWD).
The lack of rainfall prompted several German states to issue warnings
about the risk of forest fires which have hit neighbours Switzerland and
Austria.
Drought has hit Hungary's key grain regions and may severely reduce
grain and oilseed crops, leading trading firm Agrograin said. "In
mid-April the average temperature was 5-6 degrees Celsius higher than
usual," said meteorologist Gyorgy Gyuro.
Italy's river Po, which waters the region accounting for one-third of
the country's agricultural production, fell on Sunday to 6.53 metres (21
ft 5 in) below its normal level at one control point, having fallen 80
centimetres in a week.
The Met Office said there was a one in eight chance of temperatures in
the three summer months -- July, August and September -- repeating the
2003 and 2006 heatwaves.
"In meteorological terms that is really quite a high probability," a
spokesman said.
On Friday, Department of the Environment warned of summer smog at the
weekend with high ozone levels endangering the ill and elderly. But in
contrast to 2006, Britain was at least not facing a drought after a mild
and very wet winter.
In Germany, one newspaper said soaring temperatures could inflame libidos.
"Skirts are getting shorter and there is more bare flesh flashing,"
Germany's biggest selling newspaper, Bild, wrote, warning Germans to
keep a close eye on their partners.
"The heat excites the sex hormones much more strongly, disturbs the
sleep and stimulates lust."
(Additional reporting by Reuters' European bureaus)