Italy records extreme heat wave in early ’22

Rome The Italian farmers’ association Coldiretti says the past six months have been the hottest on record, with extreme heat destroying billions of euros worth of crops.
The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Thursday that the first half of 2022 ranked sixth warmest ever, with a global temperature of 1.53 degrees Fahrenheit (0.85 of a degree Celsius) above the 20th-century average of 56.3 degrees F (13.5 degrees Celsius).
Coldiretti said the trend looked even more concerning in Italy, where temperatures in the first six months were 0.76 degrees Celsius above the historical average and 2.88 degrees Celsius above the June average. Rainfall was 45% below the six-month national average, leading to the worst drought in 70 years.
Extreme weather has devastated a third of Italian crops, worth 3 billion euros ($3 billion), according to the farmers’ union. The Italian executive declared a state of emergency last week to unlock 36 million euros in funding for drought-hit northern provinces.
(UNI/SPUTNIK)