UNOG Bi-weekly press briefing: Heatwave Alert - WMO
/
2:45
/
MP4
/
202.8 MB

Edited News | WMO

UNOG Bi-weekly press briefing: Heatwave Alert - WMO

Record-breaking ‘pressure-cooker’ heatwave hits Canada, US northwest

A "pressure-cooker" heatwave that's broken temperature records twice in two days in the US northwest and western Canada shows no signs of abating, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said on Tuesday.

The scorching early summer conditions have been mirrored elsewhere in the northern hemisphere, from Eastern Europe to India, said Clare Nullis, spokesperson for the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

“An exceptional and dangerous heatwave is breaking in northwestern United States of America and western Canada; this is obviously a part of the world which is more accustomed to cool weather. Temperature are likely to reach as high as 45 degrees Celsius by day for perhaps five or more days; so that’s …a very long spell, with extremely warm nights in between.”

The WMO official noted that the all-time Canadian temperature record was broken on Sunday in Lytton, British Columbia, which recorded a high of 46.6 degrees Celsius.

“This smashed the previous record – normally when you break a record, it’s by a small margin – this smashed the record by a full 1.6 degrees Celsius,” Ms. Nullis said.

Less than 24 hours later, on Monday, Lytton broke the record again, this time measuring 47.9 degree Celsius. “This to be underlined, it’s in the province of British Columbia, it’s to the Rocky Mountains, the Glacier National Park, and yet we’re seeing temperatures which are more typical of the Middle East or North Africa,” Ms. Nullis added.

Such extreme temperatures pose a major threat to people's health, agriculture and the environment “because the region is not used to such heat and many people do not have air conditioning”, WMO said in a statement which highlighted how important it was for national weather centres to issue early warnings to limit the death toll.

Citing Environment and Climate Change Canada meteorologist Armel Castellan, WMO noted that higher temperatures would likely peak early this week on the coast and by the middle of the week for the interior of British Columbia; afterwards, the baking heat is expected to move east towards Alberta.
“Yukon and North West Territories have recorded their all-time highest temperatures not just in June, but any point in the year. We are setting records that have no business in being set so early in the season,” said Mr. Castellan.

WMO’s Ms. Nullis explained that the extreme heat is caused by “an atmospheric blocking pattern” which has led to a “heat dome” trapped by low pressure either side.
“Normally you have the jet stream which is this vast high-moving belt of wind which …moves weather on, but it’s not happening this time...it’s almost like a pressure cooker effect and you’ve got very, very high heat.”

This heatwave follows another intensely hot period less than two weeks ago that baked the US desert Southwest and California, with hundreds of record highs.

Other parts of the northern hemisphere have also seen exceptional early hot summer conditions, including north Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, eastern Europe, Iran and the northwestern Indian continent.

Daily temperatures have exceeded 45 degrees Celsius in several locations and reached passed 50 degrees Celsius in the Sahara.
Western Russia and areas around the Caspian Sea have also seen unusually high temperatures, the result of a large area of high pressure.

Temperatures in the Moscow region are expected to reach mid-30 degrees Celsius by day and remain above 20 degrees Celsius at night, WMO said, while areas nearer the Caspian Sea are expected to experience temperatures reaching the mid-40s and remaining above 25 degrees Celsius.

“It is likely that some all-time temperature records will be set during this heatwave,” WMO said, underscoring the impact of human-induced climate change, which has resulted in global temperatures being 1.2 degrees Celsius higher than the pre-industrial levels.
ends

  1. STORY: Heatwave Alert – WMO

    TRT: 02 min 45s

    SOURCE: UNTV CH

    RESTRICTIONS: NONE

    LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

    ASPECT RATIO: 16:9

    DATELINE: 29 June 2021 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

    SHOTLIST

    1. Exterior wide shot, Palais des Nations flag alley, nations’ flags flying, a bright day.
    2. Wide shot, TV camera on tripod, podium with speakers in a near-empty Room XIV in line with COVID-19 distancing measures, Palais des Nations.
    3. SOUNDBITE (English) — Clare Nullis, spokesperson, World Meteorological Organization (WMO): “An exceptional and dangerous heatwave is breaking in northwestern United States of America and western Canada; this is obviously a part of the world which is more accustomed to cool weather. Temperature are likely to reach as high as 45 degrees Celsius by day for perhaps five or more days; so that’s you know, a very long spell, with extremely warm nights in between.”
    4. Medium-wide shot, TV camera on tripod, podium speakers, Room XIV, Palais des Nations.
    5. SOUNDBITE (English) — Clare Nullis, spokesperson, World Meteorological Organization (WMO): “The all-time Canadian record was broken on Sunday with Lytton in the province of British Columbia recording 46.6 degrees Celsius. This smashed the previous record – normally when you break a record, it’s by a small margin – this smashed the record by a full 1.6 degrees Celsius.”
    6. Medium shot, journalist, seated and masked, typing on laptop, Room XIV, Palais des Nations.
    7. SOUNDBITE (English) — Clare Nullis, spokesperson, World Meteorological Organization (WMO): “Less than 24 hours later, Lytton broke the record again. Yesterday, it reached 47.9 degree Celsius on Monday in Lytton. This to be underlined, it’s in the province of British Columbia, it’s to the Rocky Mountains, the Glacier National Park, and yet we’re seeing temperatures which are more typical of the Middle East or North Africa.”
    8. Close up, fingers typing on laptop, one of which has a plaster on, in the Swiss flag’s colours.
    9. SOUNDBITE (English) — Clare Nullis, spokesperson, World Meteorological Organization (WMO): “The heat is being caused by an atmospheric blocking pattern, so it means that, you know, these very high temperatures are concentrated over one particular area, and normally you have the jet stream which is this vast high-moving belt of wind which you know, which moves weather on, but it’s not happening this time. So we’ve got, it’s almost like a pressure cooker effect and you’ve got very, very high heat.”
    10. Medium shot, participant sitting cross-legged and masked, in front of laptop.
    11. SOUNDBITE (English) — Clare Nullis, spokesperson, World Meteorological Organization (WMO): “It’s not limited to north America; other parts of the northern hemisphere are also experiencing exceptional early hot summer conditions. Arabian peninsula, Eastern Europe, around the northwest Indian continent, just to name a few areas; western Russia has also been seeing very high temperatures.”
    12. Medium shot, large screen TV broadcasting image of participants with podium and speakers to rear.
    13. Close up, line of conference microphones in profile with participant to rear, checking mobile phone.
    14. Medium shot, participant checking Zoom profiles on laptop.

Audio Files 1
Download UNOG Bi-weekly press briefing: Heatwave Alert - WMO
Download

Similar Stories

Iran update - OCHA

1

1

1

Edited News | OCHA

Iran update - OCHA ENG FRA

Heatwave update - WMO

1

1

1

Edited News | WMO

Heatwave update - WMO ENG FRA

The blistering early-summer heatwave that’s brought life-threatening temperatures across much of the northern hemisphere is a worrying sign of things to come, UN weather experts said on Tuesday. 

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk Remarks to Human Rights Council Annual Panel on adverse impacts of climate change

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk Remarks to Human Rights Council Annual Panel on adverse impacts of climate change ENG FRA

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk made the following remarks to the Human Rights Council annual panel on adverse impacts of climate change.

Gaza update – WHO 27 June 2025

1

1

2

Edited News | WHO

Gaza update – WHO 27 June 2025 ENG FRA

The first meagre midweek delivery of urgently needed medical goods to enter Gaza in months will provide scant relief to the enclave’s people, who continue to be shot and killed as they search for food, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday.

HRC 59 - Human Rights in Myanmar - 27 June 2025

2

1

2

Statements , Edited News | HRC

HRC 59 - Human Rights in Myanmar - 27 June 2025 ENG FRA

Enhanced interactive dialogue on the High Commissioner’s report on Myanmar presented by Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and oral update by Thomas Andrews, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar

DR Congo update - Tom Fletcher 26 June 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | UNOG

DR Congo update - Tom Fletcher 26 June 2025 ENG FRA

The conflict-impacted people of the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) urgently need much more international assistance than they are getting today, the UN’s top aid official said on Thursday.

Myanmar crisis - Special Rapporteur Tom Andrews 25 June 2025

1

1

2

Edited News | UNOG

Myanmar crisis - Special Rapporteur Tom Andrews 25 June 2025 ENG FRA

Violence in Myanmar is spiralling as the military junta increases its attacks on monasteries, schools and camps sheltering people uprooted by the civil war, a top independent human rights investigator warned on Wednesday.

Gaza update-OHCHR

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

Gaza update-OHCHR ENG FRA

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan on Palestinians killed seeking food in Gaza

Iran update - OHCHR

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

Iran update - OHCHR ENG FRA

Iran-Israel war: UN rights office concerned over strike on Tehran prison, reported espionage arrests

Tehran’s notorious Evin prison known for holding dissidents should not be a target, the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) said on Tuesday, a day after a reported Israeli strike on the complex.

Gaza update - UNICEF, WHO 20 June 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | UNICEF , WHO

Gaza update - UNICEF, WHO 20 June 2025 ENG FRA

Death and suffering in Gaza are ever-present and the enclave's people now have little choice but to risk their lives to fetch aid supplies, UN agencies said on Friday. “I met a little boy who was wounded by a tank shell at one of these sites on the final day of me leaving Gaza - I learnt that this little boy had since died of those injuries,” said UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) spokesperson James Elder. “That speaks to both what is happening at these sites and what is not happening when it comes to medical evacuations.”

World Investment Report 2025 – Launch in Geneva

1

1

1

Edited News | UNCTAD

World Investment Report 2025 – Launch in Geneva ENG FRA

UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) launched today the World Investment Report 2025. Global foreign direct investment (FDI) fell by 11%, marking the second consecutive year of decline and confirming a deepening slowdown in productive capital flows, according to the report.

Afghan refugee and journalist Zahra Nader

1

1

1

Edited News

Afghan refugee and journalist Zahra Nader ENG FRA

Afghan journalist Zahra Nader fled twice due to Taliban rule, highlighting severe women's rights issues.