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Season 2016

Every heat event the pipeline tracked between 2016-05-01 and 2016-09-30, with how each one grew, peaked and moved. Anomalies are against the 1991–2020 baseline.

Season at a glance

Events tracked
27
Total heat burden
63.09 Mkm²·days
Longest
18days (#23)
Hottest
+15.6°C (#13)
With a heat dome
10of 27 events

A heat dome is the stricter object: a tracked heat event with a closed 500 hPa anticyclone whose influence cap overlies it, after Loikith et al. (2026). Most heatwaves are not domes, so the label is a finding and not a synonym.

ERA5 daily maximum 2 m temperature over land, against the 1991–2020 climatology (p90 in a centred 15-day window). A heatwave cell is Tx above p90 on at least 3 consecutive days.

When the events ran

MayJunJulAugSep#18 d · +10.6 °C#210 d · +11.8 °C#310 d · +12.5 °C#47 d · +10.7 °C#57 d · +14.0 °C#613 d · +13.4 °C#77 d · +10.8 °C#86 d · +8.6 °C#910 d · +10.3 °C#1016 d · +13.0 °C#115 d · +10.0 °C#127 d · +15.5 °C#139 d · +15.6 °C#148 d · +11.7 °C#157 d · +11.8 °C#166 d · +14.5 °C#176 d · +10.0 °C#185 d · +9.5 °C#199 d · +14.5 °C#2014 d · +10.7 °C#219 d · +13.6 °C#224 d · +6.5 °C#2318 d · +13.6 °C#243 d · +11.4 °C#2511 d · +11.4 °C#265 d · +8.7 °C#275 d · +6.2 °C2016-05-01 → 2016-09-30; bar colour is peak anomaly (+4 to +16 °C); filled dot = heat dome, hollow = no overlying high

Overlapping bars are concurrent events in different places, not one event counted twice: each is a separately labelled cluster of contiguous heatwave cells.

How each event evolved

Event #23 — 2016-09-01 → 2016-09-18 18 daysheat dome · 11/18 d · Z500 +253 m

peak 1.90 M km² on 2016-09-12 · max +13.6 °C · mean +7.8 °C · burden 15.11 M km²·d · drift 1617 km (42.9 N -0.9 E → 56.3 N 8.3 E)

1.9Mkm²+13.6+0.0 °C2016-09-012016-09-18peak 2016-09-12centroid drift · 19.1° box

Event #10 — 2016-06-15 → 2016-06-30 16 dayshigh on 7/16 d only

peak 1.41 M km² on 2016-06-25 · max +13.0 °C · mean +7.3 °C · burden 9.50 M km²·d · drift 1347 km (41.6 N 28.1 E → 40.7 N 44.2 E)

1.4Mkm²+13.0+0.0 °C2016-06-152016-06-30peak 2016-06-25centroid drift · 19.5° box

Event #21 — 2016-08-22 → 2016-08-30 9 daysheat dome · 8/9 d · Z500 +219 m

peak 1.27 M km² on 2016-08-27 · max +13.6 °C · mean +8.5 °C · burden 6.42 M km²·d · drift 3040 km (42.0 N -4.7 E → 51.3 N 33.3 E)

1.3Mkm²+13.6+0.0 °C2016-08-222016-08-30peak 2016-08-27centroid drift · 32.5° box

Event #14 — 2016-07-11 → 2016-07-18 8 daysheat dome · 7/8 d · Z500 +163 m

peak 969k km² on 2016-07-14 · max +11.7 °C · mean +7.6 °C · burden 5.16 M km²·d · drift 1120 km (50.1 N 24.3 E → 48.3 N 39.5 E)

969kkm²+11.7+0.0 °C2016-07-112016-07-18peak 2016-07-14centroid drift · 12.4° box

Event #20 — 2016-08-19 → 2016-09-01 14 daysno overlying high

peak 752k km² on 2016-08-21 · max +10.7 °C · mean +6.6 °C · burden 3.52 M km²·d · drift 485 km (40.3 N 40.0 E → 38.1 N 44.9 E)

752kkm²+10.7+0.0 °C2016-08-192016-09-01peak 2016-08-21centroid drift · 13.3° box

Event #2 — 2016-05-02 → 2016-05-11 10 daysheat dome · 7/10 d · Z500 +217 m

peak 723k km² on 2016-05-08 · max +11.8 °C · mean +8.2 °C · burden 3.09 M km²·d · drift 1034 km (63.9 N 29.7 E → 54.9 N 34.3 E)

723kkm²+11.8+0.0 °C2016-05-022016-05-11peak 2016-05-08centroid drift · 13.5° box

Event #25 — 2016-09-13 → 2016-09-23 11 daysheat dome · 9/11 d · Z500 +300 m

peak 393k km² on 2016-09-18 · max +11.4 °C · mean +6.5 °C · burden 2.79 M km²·d · drift 1167 km (59.6 N 11.4 E → 69.4 N 20.1 E)

393kkm²+11.4+0.0 °C2016-09-132016-09-23peak 2016-09-18centroid drift · 12.3° box

Event #6 — 2016-05-26 → 2016-06-07 13 dayshigh on 6/13 d only

peak 577k km² on 2016-05-31 · max +13.4 °C · mean +8.7 °C · burden 2.69 M km²·d · drift 755 km (67.3 N 16.8 E → 61.4 N 9.1 E)

577kkm²+13.4+0.0 °C2016-05-262016-06-07peak 2016-05-31centroid drift · 11.8° box

Event #15 — 2016-07-12 → 2016-07-18 7 dayshigh on 2/7 d only

peak 359k km² on 2016-07-16 · max +11.8 °C · mean +5.9 °C · burden 1.60 M km²·d · drift 442 km (39.4 N 29.8 E → 39.2 N 34.9 E)

359kkm²+11.8+0.0 °C2016-07-122016-07-18peak 2016-07-16centroid drift · 5.0° box

Event #3 — 2016-05-03 → 2016-05-12 10 daysheat dome · 7/10 d · Z500 +217 m

peak 386k km² on 2016-05-08 · max +12.5 °C · mean +8.6 °C · burden 1.48 M km²·d · drift 861 km (64.8 N 19.5 E → 59.5 N 7.5 E)

386kkm²+12.5+0.0 °C2016-05-032016-05-12peak 2016-05-08centroid drift · 7.1° box

Event #19 — 2016-08-16 → 2016-08-24 9 daysheat dome · 5/9 d · Z500 +308 m

peak 262k km² on 2016-08-20 · max +14.5 °C · mean +7.8 °C · burden 1.19 M km²·d · drift 730 km (65.2 N 44.6 E → 58.7 N 43.9 E)

262kkm²+14.5+0.0 °C2016-08-162016-08-24peak 2016-08-20centroid drift · 8.2° box

Event #12 — 2016-06-30 → 2016-07-06 7 dayshigh on 3/7 d only

peak 263k km² on 2016-07-03 · max +15.5 °C · mean +8.9 °C · burden 1.19 M km²·d · drift 484 km (69.7 N 25.2 E → 67.8 N 36.0 E)

263kkm²+15.5+0.0 °C2016-06-302016-07-06peak 2016-07-03centroid drift · 5.1° box

Event #11 — 2016-06-29 → 2016-07-03 5 dayshigh on 1/5 d only

peak 330k km² on 2016-07-01 · max +10.0 °C · mean +6.8 °C · burden 1.12 M km²·d · drift 167 km (52.9 N 26.8 E → 53.5 N 29.2 E)

330kkm²+10.0+0.0 °C2016-06-292016-07-03peak 2016-07-01centroid drift · 2.0° box

Event #7 — 2016-05-28 → 2016-06-03 7 daysno overlying high

peak 208k km² on 2016-05-30 · max +10.8 °C · mean +7.6 °C · burden 901k km²·d · drift 172 km (57.3 N 21.5 E → 57.6 N 24.3 E)

208kkm²+10.8+0.0 °C2016-05-282016-06-03peak 2016-05-30centroid drift · 2.6° box

Event #16 — 2016-07-15 → 2016-07-20 6 daysheat dome · 5/6 d · Z500 +159 m

peak 273k km² on 2016-07-18 · max +14.5 °C · mean +7.6 °C · burden 887k km²·d · drift 957 km (42.3 N -8.3 E → 45.8 N 2.6 E)

273kkm²+14.5+0.0 °C2016-07-152016-07-20peak 2016-07-18centroid drift · 9.8° box

Event #4 — 2016-05-06 → 2016-05-12 7 daysheat dome · 4/7 d · Z500 +217 m

peak 181k km² on 2016-05-08 · max +10.7 °C · mean +7.6 °C · burden 870k km²·d · drift 200 km (52.2 N 6.1 E → 53.6 N 7.7 E)

181kkm²+10.7+0.0 °C2016-05-062016-05-12peak 2016-05-08centroid drift · 3.2° box

Event #17 — 2016-07-21 → 2016-07-26 6 dayshigh on 2/6 d only

peak 229k km² on 2016-07-23 · max +10.0 °C · mean +6.7 °C · burden 738k km²·d · drift 280 km (66.8 N 17.1 E → 64.8 N 20.8 E)

229kkm²+10.0+0.0 °C2016-07-212016-07-26peak 2016-07-23centroid drift · 3.8° box

Event #13 — 2016-06-30 → 2016-07-08 9 dayshigh on 4/9 d only

peak 180k km² on 2016-07-03 · max +15.6 °C · mean +8.8 °C · burden 698k km²·d · drift 24 km (67.9 N 44.2 E → 68.1 N 44.4 E)

180kkm²+15.6+0.0 °C2016-06-302016-07-08peak 2016-07-03centroid drift · 7.2° box

Event #1 — 2016-05-01 → 2016-05-08 8 daysheat dome · 7/8 d · Z500 +242 m

peak 126k km² on 2016-05-03 · max +10.6 °C · mean +7.1 °C · burden 659k km²·d · drift 171 km (69.1 N 25.4 E → 68.8 N 29.6 E)

126kkm²+10.6+0.0 °C2016-05-012016-05-08peak 2016-05-03centroid drift · 2.3° box

Event #5 — 2016-05-22 → 2016-05-28 7 dayshigh on 3/7 d only

peak 158k km² on 2016-05-25 · max +14.0 °C · mean +9.2 °C · burden 591k km²·d · drift 218 km (35.0 N 4.5 E → 35.5 N 6.8 E)

158kkm²+14.0+0.0 °C2016-05-222016-05-28peak 2016-05-25centroid drift · 4.0° box

Event #9 — 2016-06-06 → 2016-06-15 10 dayshigh on 2/10 d only

peak 147k km² on 2016-06-09 · max +10.3 °C · mean +6.8 °C · burden 573k km²·d · drift 192 km (37.3 N -3.0 E → 38.1 N -1.1 E)

147kkm²+10.3+0.0 °C2016-06-062016-06-15peak 2016-06-09centroid drift · 2.6° box

Event #18 — 2016-08-13 → 2016-08-17 5 dayshigh on 1/5 d only

peak 161k km² on 2016-08-15 · max +9.5 °C · mean +6.7 °C · burden 558k km²·d · drift 318 km (45.0 N -0.7 E → 47.9 N -0.8 E)

161kkm²+9.5+0.0 °C2016-08-132016-08-17peak 2016-08-15centroid drift · 3.6° box

Event #27 — 2016-09-25 → 2016-09-29 5 dayshigh on 2/5 d only

peak 153k km² on 2016-09-27 · max +6.2 °C · mean +4.4 °C · burden 491k km²·d · drift 449 km (60.4 N 15.6 E → 56.4 N 14.3 E)

153kkm²+6.2+0.0 °C2016-09-252016-09-29peak 2016-09-27centroid drift · 6.0° box

Event #8 — 2016-05-30 → 2016-06-04 6 dayshigh on 3/6 d only

peak 121k km² on 2016-06-01 · max +8.6 °C · mean +6.1 °C · burden 381k km²·d · drift 495 km (41.0 N 27.8 E → 36.9 N 30.0 E)

121kkm²+8.6+0.0 °C2016-05-302016-06-04peak 2016-06-01centroid drift · 5.1° box

Event #26 — 2016-09-14 → 2016-09-18 5 daysno overlying high

peak 122k km² on 2016-09-16 · max +8.7 °C · mean +6.6 °C · burden 379k km²·d · drift 132 km (45.2 N 23.7 E → 44.3 N 24.8 E)

122kkm²+8.7+0.0 °C2016-09-142016-09-18peak 2016-09-16centroid drift · 2.0° box

Event #24 — 2016-09-13 → 2016-09-15 3 daysno overlying high

peak 102k km² on 2016-09-15 · max +11.4 °C · mean +7.3 °C · burden 265k km²·d · drift 34 km (52.5 N -0.8 E → 52.5 N -1.3 E)

102kkm²+11.4+0.0 °C2016-09-132016-09-15peak 2016-09-15centroid drift · 1.3° box

Event #22 — 2016-08-24 → 2016-08-27 4 daysno overlying high

peak 111k km² on 2016-08-25 · max +6.5 °C · mean +4.7 °C · burden 250k km²·d · drift 333 km (35.6 N 38.7 E → 35.1 N 42.3 E)

111kkm²+6.5+0.0 °C2016-08-242016-08-27peak 2016-08-25centroid drift · 3.7° box

Filled area is the event footprint in km² (left axis); the solid line is the peak anomaly inside it and the dashed line the mean (right axis). The small panel is the centroid path, circles sized by area and the ring marking day one. Drift is the straight-line start-to-end distance, so a dome that wandered and returned reports a small number.

Pipeline figures, 2016

Extent through the season

heatwave extent 2016

Footprints and tracks

heatwave events 2016