North America is a Winter Wonderland, Europe Faces "Ski Resort Closures Due to No Snow"

Global Weather Chaos Due to Climate Change
France Faces 'Hottest December' Forecast
Extreme Cold and Snowstorms Hit the US

Unlike North America, which is experiencing a cold wave, central and western Europe, including France, is seeing a 'warm winter' with temperatures around 10 degrees Celsius.

On the 29th (local time), the French Meteorological Agency forecasted that the daytime high temperatures in most regions, including the capital area of ?le-de-France, would exceed 11 degrees Celsius. In particular, the expected daytime high temperature on the Mediterranean island of Corsica was 17 degrees. The French Meteorological Agency predicted that this year would be the warmest December since 1900.

Paris recorded mild weather around 10 degrees Celsius for a week, including the Christmas weekend. Some people were seen exercising in short sleeves and shorts in parks. According to the French Meteorological Agency, the average temperature on last Christmas was 11.3 degrees Celsius, more than 5.5 degrees higher than usual. This was the second warmest Christmas since 1997, when the temperature was 11.7 degrees.

Workers dismantling the lift in Saint-Priest, France. Photo by AFP·Yonhap News

"Hard to see snow"… Ski lifts dismantled

In October, due to climate change causing no snowfall for about 15 years, ski lifts in the village of Saint-Pierre-Mont in France were dismantled. CNN predicted that such dismantling operations would continue across France as climate change persists. According to the French Ministry of the Environment, 62% of the country's population is exposed to severe climate risks.

This contrasts sharply with North America, which is experiencing an extreme cold wave. In the United States, temperatures dropped to as low as minus 55 degrees Celsius around Christmas, resulting in at least 50 deaths, and snowstorms caused disruptions to air and train transportation.

There is also analysis that the cold wave in North America and the abnormal warmth in France are connected phenomena. The polar storm that hit North America crossed the Atlantic, warming the region, while drawing high temperatures from North Africa toward Europe, causing the abnormal warmth, according to the French private broadcaster TF1.

Extreme heat and cold records in the UK

Meanwhile, the UK recorded extreme weather this year, including heat, drought, and cold waves. On the 28th, the UK Met Office forecasted that 2022 would be recorded as the hottest year in UK history. Additionally, this summer was the 10th driest on record, and the first two weeks of this month saw daytime temperatures remain below freezing, marking the lowest temperatures since 2010.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.