CLIMATEWIRE | The world’s first named heat wave hit Seville, Spain, this week, pushing temperatures past 110 degrees Fahrenheit and earning the most severe tier in the city’s new heat wave ranking system.
Heat wave “Zoe” has brought scorching temperatures to the southern part of the country for the last few days, particularly the region of Andalusia where Seville is located.
Zoe is the first named heat wave to hit Seville since it officially launched a new pilot program last month for naming and ranking heat waves, similar to hurricanes (Climatewire, June 22).
Only the most severe heat waves get names, designated this year in reverse alphabetical order.
But it has posed a significant risk to human health while it’s lasted, according to proMETEO Sevilla, Seville’s new heat wave ranking system.
It takes a three-tiered approach to categorizing heat waves in Seville, with Category 1 as the lowest ranking and Category 3 as the most severe.
Seville’s new naming and ranking system is intended to heighten public awareness about the dangers of extreme heat. »