The heat waves of summer 2010 spawned drought, wildfires, and crop failures across western Russia, where more than 15,000 people died. All-time high temperatures occurred in many cities and nations across the Northern Hemisphere. China faced locust swarms during July.
Temperatures hovered 8 to 12 degrees F (4 to 8 degrees C) above average in Russia during June and July. On July 30th, Moscow recorded its highest temperature ever – 102 degrees F (39 degrees C) – breaking the previous record of 99 degrees F (37 degrees C) set just four days earlier. Prior to July 2010, the record hadn't been broken for 90 years.
The worst drought conditions since 1972 destroyed 22 million acres (nine million hectares), an estimated 20 percent of the nation's crops, including grain, vegetable, and fodder, prompting Russia to ban exports. Additionally, a state of emergency was declared as 948 forest fires covering 64,000 acres (26,000 hectares) were burning in 18 provinces.
The heat reached into Europe, too: on July 30th, the temperature in Joensuu, Finland reached 99 degrees F (37 degrees C), breaking Finland's all-time maximum temperature, 95 degrees F (35 degrees C), set in July 1914.
