The first day of the new year of 2023 was characterized by very high temperatures for the season in Europe, because of sub tropical high and warm mass air from north Africa, with deviations of up to 18-20°C above the normal levels for the season.
For millions of people, it was the hottest January day on record. Hundreds of monthly and national temperature records were broken while seven nations have broken their own monthly temperature record: Linchstein, Poland, Denmark, Czech Republic, Lithuania, Latvia and Belarus. This follows a 2022 which was the hottest year ever for many countries, including Italy.
An extreme weather event occurred in Warsawa; the maximum temperature of 18.9°C recorded on New Year’s Day in the capital of Poland is the highest maximum temperature for the month of January. Out-of-season temperatures will also continue on January 2 in Europe but will also continue to involve the eastern sectors of the USA and Canada.
This unseasonal heat is expected to subside in the next few days because of some disturbances from the North Atlantic, although temperatures will always be above average especially in central and western Europe. However the Asiatic lobe of the Polar Vortex will bring freezing air mass towards Scandinavia and Eastern Europe after the Epiphany but for the moment its extension towards western and southern Europe it is not predicted by the numerical models.