Portugal has sweltered through its hottest May since records began, with temperatures peaking at 47°C in the Algarve. The extreme heat, which scientists attribute to a stubborn high-pressure system exacerbated by climate change, has sparked wildfires in the central region and prompted health warnings across the country. Lisbon recorded three consecutive days above 40°C, a phenomenon previously seen only in July or August.
The Portuguese government has activated its emergency heat plan, opening cooling centres and distributing water to the homeless. But as southern Europe bakes, it is the United Kingdom that is drawing attention for its proactive approach to heatwave resilience. The UK Met Office has been fine-tuning its alert system, which categorises heatwaves from amber to red warnings.
This year, they have introduced a new 'enhanced amber' level, specifically designed to trigger early action in health services, transport networks, and energy grids. In London, Transport for London has pre-cooled tube tunnels and deployed mobile misting units on platforms. The NHS, still recovering from last year's record A&E delays, has stockpiled ice packs and fans, and is training staff to spot heatstroke symptoms.
Meanwhile, the UK's Climate Change Committee has urged the government to install reflective roofs on public buildings and plant more street trees to reduce the urban heat island effect. Critics argue that such measures are merely treating the symptoms, not the cause. Yet as Portugal's heatwave proves, adaptation is no longer optional.
The data are unequivocal: the European summer of 2024 is on track to break 2023's sweltering records. Every fraction of a degree matters. And while the UK's planning is commendable, it is a race against time.
The digital infrastructure, already strained by data centre cooling demands, could buckle. The quantum computing projects that promise breakthroughs in weather modelling are still years away from helping. For now, we rely on brittle grids and analogue resilience.
Portugal's scorching May is a stark reminder that the future is not evenly distributed. The question is not whether more heatwaves will come, but whether our systems, and our societies, can evolve fast enough to withstand them.
