Europe goes through 2nd-warmest winter ever: EU satellite tracking system

GENEVA (AA) - This winter is the second warmest on the European continent, according to the EU's Copernicus Earth observation program on Wednesday.

Copernicus, which uses a satellite tracking system, said temperatures were well above normal in parts of Eastern Europe and North-Eastern Europe.

Most of Europe experienced warmer-than-normal air temperatures in February compared to the 1991–2020 reference period, it said.

The most noteworthy warmer-than-average regions were in Norway and Sweden, the Svalbard region and regions bordering the Black Sea in northwest Russia, according to Copernicus.

Also, the "fifth hottest February since 1884" occurred in the UK, it said.

On the other hand, locations in Türkiye, the Iberian Peninsula and the Caucasus experienced temperatures that were below the monthly normal.

Meanwhile, the amount of sea ice in Antarctica has decreased to its lowest point in 45 years. It was noted as the eighth consecutive year that the ice sheet melted more quickly than the typical February minimum.