Last week saw dangerous weather in Europe, where a brutal heat wave swept across the continent. Now wildfires from that heatwave are scorching several Mediterranean countries. Today, several European nations are on high alert as forecasters warn that the warm weather would intensify in the coming days.
And closer to home, hundreds of heat records were set across the U.S in the month of June, including Baltimore, which saw a record high of 105 degrees. Nearly 130 million people were under extreme heat warnings or heat advisories on last Thursday, according to NOAA's Weather Prediction Center.
Heat is a deadly threat that has been intensifying each summer. And while some of us turn to air conditioning, many don't have that option.
As this becomes the new normal in a warming world, what power does shade have to cool us down?
Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.
Copyright 2025 NPR
