By Helen Ecker··an average:
from right to left
Temperatures in the countries around the Mediterranean are also much higher this summer than they were 30 years ago. However, this is not always reflected in the climate information found in holiday brochures about popular destinations. Old temperature data are regularly used in holiday brochures and on holiday websites.
This is demonstrated by a random sample conducted by RTL Nieuws, which compared the climate data of a number of travel organisations with current climate information. The conclusions were confirmed by the KNMI. Incorrect data can be found in almost all major travel organisations in the Netherlands, such as TUI, Sunweb, Corendon and D-reizen.
This summer, temperatures have already reached 40 degrees in more than 50 locations in southern Europe, for example in Greece, southern Spain and the Balkans. It is also extremely hot in many popular holiday destinations at the moment. Previous research has shown that the heat in these areas is being exacerbated by climate change.
The new climate information has not yet made its way to holiday sites. For example, TUI's travel information for Malaga in Spain states that you can take full advantage of the weather there in summer: “with temperatures sometimes exceeding 30 degrees.”
Not 25/30 degrees, but 33 to 34.
In fact, the Spanish city now exceeds 30 degrees on the vast majority of days in July and August, about three-quarters of the days in both months. The average maximum temperature in July is now over 32 degrees.
Information from D-reizen about the Greek capital Athens states that “the city is known for its pleasant climate, with the months from April to November being the best months of the year with temperatures around 25/30 degrees.”
At present, the average maximum temperature in Athens in July and August is between 33 and 34 degrees. Moreover, the temperature has been above 35 degrees on about half of the summer days in the summer months of July or August in the past few years. Two weeks ago, the Acropolis in Athens was closed for the second time this year due to a heat wave, with temperatures reaching over 40 degrees.
Extreme values to the top
It shows how quickly warming is happening around the Mediterranean. Heatwaves in countries like Spain, Italy and Greece are becoming increasingly uncomfortable and sometimes even dangerous to health. That's why, as a consumer, you should be able to assume that the information you're looking for about a potential holiday is actually correct, says climate researcher Karen van der Wiel from KNMI.
It is especially important to realize that a degree or two higher than stated in the holiday brochure may not seem like much, but in practice this often means much higher temperatures.
More important than that one or two degree increase in average temperature, says van der Wiel, is understanding what that means for your holiday weather. “That means the chance of extremes is disproportionately increased.”
big swing up
The reason the Mediterranean is so hot is because the soil there is so dry. According to van der Wiel, this causes the heat to rise dramatically. This is because an area with little water or moisture cannot transfer some of its heat to the water. As a result, the air temperature can rise sharply.
responsible
RTL Nieuws asked four travel organisations to respond. Corendon, D-reizen and TUI all say they base their climate information mainly on websites with weather forecasts.
TUI adds that consumers in their opinion will not view the data as “concrete weather forecasts, but will also look up the temperatures themselves on the weather website or at KNMI if they really want to know the details”. Sunweb and D-reizen indicate that they will review the weather information on the website and adjust it where necessary.
Van der Wiel points out that the weather is always changing. “Things can always be good or bad at a certain point, when you’re on holiday.” The Mediterranean region has been identified in the latest report by the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) as one of the “hotspots,” where climate change is happening relatively quickly.
The report was the first to look at regional differences on such a large scale. The Mediterranean region was named as one of the regions at risk of extremely high temperatures. If greenhouse gas emissions are not cut quickly, temperatures above 50 degrees will not be the norm later this century, the report says.
Climate scenarios
Last year, KNMI created climate scenarios for the future of the Netherlands, translating knowledge from the latest IPCC report into the situation in our country. “Maybe we should also do something like this for the Mediterranean countries,” says van der Wiel. “Because a lot of Dutch people go there on holiday.”
Watch the video below to see what extreme heat does to your body.
