Heatwave threatens to accelerate ice melt in Greenland

(Stockholm) – As Europe´s record-breaking heatwave drifts towards the Arctic it threatens to accelerate the melting of ice in Greenland, which already started earlier than normal this year, climate scientists warned Saturday.

After breaking records over Europe, the heatwave has swept over Scandinavia and is predicted to move towards Greenland, according to the World Meteorological Organization.

“As it is forecast to move over the Arctic it will potentially bring a large amount of energy that will melt ice, both sea ice in the Arctic Ocean and the ice sheet surface over the next 3 to 5 days,” Ruth Mottram, a climate scientist with the Danish Meteorological Institute (DMI), told AFP.

That heat will add to a summer where the melting season started early and “persistent warm conditions have led to a very large loss of ice”.

According to DMI´s models an estimated 170 gigatonnes of water have been added to the world´s oceans from melted ice and snow between July 1 to July 26.