Northern Canada, Alaska and Scandinavia have faced extreme heat, with temperatures reaching up to 100 degrees Fahrenheit in some Arctic locations.
The heat, driven by climate change, is displacing cooler air, temporarily easing heat in parts of the U.S.
Arctic sea ice is near its annual minimum, with levels among the lowest on record.
Key quote:
"In early August, snow and ice melting on the surface of the Svalbard ice caps reached the highest levels ever recorded."
— the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Service
Why this matters:
Persistent extreme heat in the Arctic accelerates ice melt, contributing to global sea level rise and further destabilizing the climate system. The ongoing climate shifts threaten ecosystems and human communities worldwide.
The record-setting discovery of 68 projectiles from the Neolithic to the Viking Era also upends ideas on how ice both preserves and destroys archaeological finds.
Vintners in Scandinavia are growing bold with their marketing, winning awards and prompting predictable sniffs from the French. ‘I don’t think they are at all our level yet.’
