A remarkably mild air mass encompasses all of Western Europe. But under the fog and low clouds, temperatures sometimes struggle to exceed the 10°C mark.
A very mild air mass at altitude
The altitude of ISO 0°C allows you to measure to what altitude you have to go to find a negative temperature. © The Weather Channel
The air mass is remarkably mild over Western Europe. As proof, the 0°C isotherm was located at nearly 4000 m altitude this weekend, and it was +6.5°C at the summit of the Aiguille du Midi at 3800 m altitude. These are record values for the season since this data has been measured.
Lower, we recorded up to 23.3°C in Dun-les-Places (58) at 600 m altitude in the Morvan this Monday afternoon, while we did not exceed 8°C in Strasbourg under the stubborn fog. It is therefore difficult for Alsatians to appreciate this “sweetness”.
The explanation is simple, and it is common in autumn and winter: cold, denser air remains trapped in the plains and valleys. This phenomenon is accentuated when the fogs do not rise and the sun cannot warm the ambient air. In the mountains, often from 600 m altitude, we find ourselves above these “inversions” and the mildness is exacerbated by the sunshine and the light wind. These situations where the types of weather are very different over short distances are also a real headache for forecasters.
Likewise, thermal amplitudes often vary greatly from one region to another: if the sky remains clear, the night will be cold due to radiation while the afternoon will be mild thanks to sunshine. On the other hand, if the sky remains overcast, the night will be milder (because there will be no dispersion of mild air towards space) while the day will remain cool due to lack of sun.
On a European scale, the mild air mass is spreading towards Scandinavia and the Arctic zone, where temperatures will be around 10°C above average at the end of the week.
The air mass will be remarkably mild across Europe at the end of the week © The Weather Channel
This week, this type of mostly mild but very variable weather will continue, and you will then have to take advantage of the brighter days for your getaways. You should also be very careful if you have to travel at the start of the day due to fog. This configuration should last until mid-November with a slow downward trend in temperatures when the wind turns to the east.
Temperatures will remain mild for a long time nationwide © The Weather Channel
