Iceland experienced an unprecedented weather event this week, with temperatures soaring to 22.9°C (73.2°F) on Monday night at a site on the Ólafsfjarðarvegur Road near Sauðanes, in the far north of the country.
This marked the warmest place in Europe that night and set a world record for the highest November temperature above 60° latitude.
Remarkably, these temperatures were 10-15°C warmer than the typical July averages for the region, highlighting an extreme weather shift.
This remarkable warmth was triggered by a warm, moist air mass from the Azores, interacting with Iceland’s local topography in a phenomenon known as the Föhn effect.
As the moist air rose over high terrain, it lost moisture on the windward slopes.
Upon descending the leeward slopes, the air was compressed and warmed, resulting in record-breaking temperatures.
While Iceland recorded its highest November temperatures, other parts of the world are grappling with severe weather.
Severe flooding displaces thousands in Colombia as multiple storms devastate the Philippines.In Colombia, torrential rains over the past week have caused widespread flooding and landslides, affecting 27 out of 32 departments.
The rains have displaced 90,000 people, and significant damage has occurred, particularly in Chocó, where 85% of the department has been flooded.
This situation has led the Colombian government to declare a nationwide state of emergency.
Meanwhile, in the Philippines, a record number of simultaneous storms have developed across the Pacific, with six typhoons hitting the country this month alone.
Over 200,000 homes have been damaged, and nearly 700,000 people are seeking shelter.
These extreme weather events are a stark reminder of the increasing frequency and intensity of natural disasters, underscoring the urgency of addressing the global climate crisis.