On Monday night, Iceland experienced record-breaking warmth as temperatures soared to 22.9°C near Sauðanes in the far north, on the Ólafsfjarðarvegur Road.
This made it the warmest place in Europe that night and set a new world record for the warmest November night above 60° latitude.
These temperatures were 10-15°C above the typical July averages, highlighting the extreme shift in weather patterns.
The unusual warmth was driven by a warm and moist southwesterly air mass from the Azores, which interacted with Iceland’s local topography.
This phenomenon, known as the Föhn effect, occurs when air rises over high ground, losing moisture on the south-facing windward slopes.
As it descends on the north-facing leeward slopes, the air warms up significantly, leading to record-high temperatures.
This event serves as a reminder of the unpredictable and extreme weather patterns that have been increasingly reported around the world.
Torrential rains in Colombia and typhoons in the Philippines cause widespread destruction and displacement.In addition to this heatwave, torrential rains in Colombia have caused devastating flooding and landslides.
Heavy rainfall affected 27 of Colombia’s 32 departments, with the westernmost department, Chocó, suffering the worst impact.
The Río Atrato overflowed, displacing over 50,000 families.
A nationwide state of emergency was declared, and the heavy rains have killed at least one person, while thousands have been forced into temporary shelters.
Meanwhile, the Pacific has seen an unusual meteorological event with four storms developing simultaneously, the first such occurrence since 1951.
The Philippines, already affected by multiple typhoons in November, is grappling with widespread damage.
Over 200,000 homes have been destroyed, and nearly 700,000 people are seeking shelter as the region braces for more storms.
As the world faces increasingly volatile weather, these events underscore the urgency of addressing climate change and building resilience in vulnerable regions.