In 2019, the United Nations’ weather organization verified that a temperature of 48.8 degrees Celsius (119.8 degrees Fahrenheit) in Sicily was the highest ever recorded in Europe.

On August 11, 2021, the World Meteorological Organization reported that temperatures were reaching record highs in Sicily, along with many other parts of Europe. This event has raised renewed worries about the impact of human activity on climate change.

The temperature surpassed the previous record for Europe of 48 degrees Celsius, which was documented in the Greek cities of Athens and Elefsina in July 1977.

The 2021 Sicily record was derived from weather data and initially released in the International Journal of Climatology.

According to Randall Cerveny, who is responsible for documenting extreme weather and climate events for the World Meteorological Organization, the verification process involved a thorough investigation that demanded precise attention from the agency.

Cerveny stated that this study reveals a concerning trend of specific regions of the world consistently setting new records for high temperatures.

The Archive of Weather and Climate Extremes publishes evaluations on various weather extremes, including global high and low temperatures, largest hailstone, strongest wind gust, longest lightning flash, and fatalities related to weather events.

Source: wral.com