In late June and early July, Europe experienced record-breaking heatwaves with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), leading to school closures, outdoor work bans in Italy, and wildfires, while simultaneously, southern South America, including Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay, endured a rare polar cold wave with temperatures 10-15 degrees Celsius below average. The European heat was attributed to a "heat dome" phenomenon, with climate change's role deemed "absolutely certain" by experts, potentially tripling heat-related deaths and increasing temperatures by up to 4C in 12 cities. Conversely, the South American cold snap was caused by a powerful polar anticyclone, with some scientists suggesting a link to climate change disrupting atmospheric circulation, though extreme cold spells are generally decreasing globally. Climate change is also intensifying other extreme weather events like floods, with a 2024 study predicting a 10% increase in extreme precipitation intensity in Texas by 2036.