Scientists issue warning after heat wave in one of world's coldest places: 'Steroids for weather'

Even in some of the world's coldest places, the warming climate is leading to record-setting heat waves.

What's happening?

Across Iceland and Greenland — two areas not exactly known for warm weather — recent high temperatures have broken records, World Weather Attribution reported.

Iceland's Egilsstaðir Airport reached 79.9 degrees Fahrenheit on May 15, breaking the country's record high for May. In other parts of the country, temperatures were more than 18 F above average.

Greenland experienced a similar situation. The remote village of Ittoqqortoormiit hit 57.7 F on May 19 — and though that doesn't sound balmy, it's a whopping 23 degrees above the average high temperature for the month.

Why are high temperatures important?

Extreme temperatures are just one of the many effects of the warming climate.

As more polluting, toxic gases get released, they trap more heat in the atmosphere, causing the planet to get warmer. Not only was 2024 the hottest year in recorded history — a record many experts predict will be broken in the next five years — but the last decade has also featured the 10 warmest years on record.

And this causes extreme weather events — droughts, floods, wildfires, and more — to happen more frequently and with greater severity. One expert likened the changing climate to "steroids for weather."

Those effects are particularly noticeable in some of the coldest climates. The Arctic is heating up faster than the rest of the world, causing ice caps to melt and leading researchers to fear for the future of coastal towns.

In Greenland, ice is melting more rapidly than expected, and certain parts of the coastline are eroding by 65 feet annually. During a 2022 heat wave, as World Weather Attribution reported, melting permafrost led metals to enter Arctic lakes, prompting environmental concerns.

What's being done about this?

Researchers are studying Greenland's and Iceland's recent heat waves, working so that their findings can help other countries combat rising temperatures.

Iceland has a Climate Action Plan, which consists of 150 actions to cut its heat-trapping pollution by 40% by 2030 and reach carbon neutrality by 2040.

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