Balkans burning: This unusual phenomenon is to blame; Here's how long the tropical wave will last

The entire Balkans and parts of Eastern Europe have been under a heat wave since the beginning of July, and it is predicted that the heat will last another two weeks, writes the meteorological service of Severe Weather Europe.

"This is a historic heat wave with daily temperatures exceeding the threshold of 40°C. It is most intense in the Balkan Peninsula and in Eastern Europe. Seas in the Mediterranean region are also warming up, reaching 30°C in places. According to global weather model forecasts, temperatures will remain well above average across Southern and Eastern Europe. Record values ​​are forecast for the Balkan Peninsula this week," writes SWE.

Temperatures have reached more than 30 degrees in many areas, and more than 40°C have been recorded in Serbia, Romania, Albania, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia and Greece in recent days.

The highest minimum temperature ever recorded in Serbia

In Serbia, writes SWE, historical heat was recorded. The meteorological station in Vršac recorded a minimum temperature of 30.6°C on Saturday, and 31.2°C on Sunday, which is the highest minimum temperature ever recorded in Serbia.

Belgrade reported a minimum temperature of 27.3°C on Saturday and 27.5°C on Sunday.

These values ​​are also very close to record highs.

High night temperatures were also recorded in neighboring countries, such as Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Romania and North Macedonia.

Greece also noted that the minimum temperature over the weekend did not drop below 30°C at some stations.

The heat wave will last another 7 to 10 days

"July is known as the hottest month of the summer, but temperatures these days and the next 7-10 days will be significantly higher than average. The daily average in many regions will be about 10 degrees higher than average," SWE announces.

They add that heat dome is responsible for this situation.

What is a heat dome?

A heat dome is a weather phenomenon consisting of extreme heat that is caused when the atmosphere traps hot air as if bounded by a lid or cap.

A heat dome is a meteorological phenomenon in which a large mass of hot air is trapped above a certain area, causing extreme temperatures.

Normally, warm air, which is thinner than cold air, tends to rise. However, a strong high pressure system can prevent this lifting and spreading and force warm air to remain trapped near the surface in a certain area.

In this sense, high pressure systems act as a blanket or dome over a certain area.

Atmospheric physicist Branko Grisogono, a professor from the Faculty of Philosophy in Zagreb, interprets that "the increased suspension in a strong anticyclonic air field does not allow deep moist convection and evaporation, but with its powerful 'lid' it does the opposite - it prevents air mixing and ventilation".

"This happens most often when the jet stream, polar or subtropical, is too weak, and this weakening is something that is happening in these current climate changes," adds Grisogono.

Vicious circle

The sun's energy heats the ground, and that heated ground then heats the air above it.

Without the ability to rise and disperse, the heated air remains close to the ground, where it continues to heat up. It condenses under the dome, and as its total heat is trapped in a smaller volume, its temperature continues to rise.

The high pressure also prevents the formation of clouds and precipitation, which means that the space under the thermal dome remains dry and sunny, which, in turn, further increases the temperature.

One of the extreme examples of a heat dome occurred in 2021 in North America, when the western parts of the US and Canada experienced record temperatures exceeding 40°C, causing numerous health problems and forest fires.