Institute of Oceanography
How marine heatwaves amplify humid-heat stress along Europe’s coastal regions
16 December 2025
Photo: UHH/Armineh Barkhordarian
A recent study led by CLICCS researcher Armineh Barkhordarian shows that marine and land heatwaves increasingly occur together along European coastlines – and that this combination dramatically amplifies humid-heat stress.
Key findings:
- Coastal heat extremes are escalating: Compound marine-terrestrial heatwaves along European coastlines are rising at an accelerating rate, peaking at 78 days in the Mediterranean in 2022.
- Warm oceans worsen land heat: Coastal marine heatwaves can prolong heatwaves on land and increase humidity along the coast.
- Human influence: About 95% of the risk of the record 2022 coastal heat event is attributable to human-caused greenhouse gas emissions.
Read the full study and learn how land and ocean heat are reinforcing each other: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-32049-z
