{"id":2201,"date":"2025-11-13T09:32:04","date_gmt":"2025-11-13T09:32:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/copernicus.gis.is\/homepage\/index.php\/2025\/11\/13\/observer-thermal-trace-from-c3s-a-powerful-new-way-to-monitor-heat-and-cold-stress\/"},"modified":"2025-11-13T09:32:04","modified_gmt":"2025-11-13T09:32:04","slug":"observer-thermal-trace-from-c3s-a-powerful-new-way-to-monitor-heat-and-cold-stress","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/copernicus.gis.is\/homepage\/index.php\/2025\/11\/13\/observer-thermal-trace-from-c3s-a-powerful-new-way-to-monitor-heat-and-cold-stress\/","title":{"rendered":"OBSERVER: Thermal Trace\u202ffrom C3S \u2013 a powerful new way to\u202fmonitor\u202fheat and cold stress\u202f"},"content":{"rendered":"

OBSERVER: Thermal Trace\u202ffrom C3S \u2013 a powerful new way to\u202fmonitor\u202fheat and cold stress\u202f
\nenora@ALSOcons\u2026<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Thu, 13\/11\/2025 – 10:32
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The summer of 2025 in Europe highlighted the growing impact of extreme heat. According to the <\/strong>Copernicus Climate Change Service<\/u><\/strong><\/a> (C3S)\u202f<\/strong>Climate Bulletins<\/u><\/strong><\/a>, successive heatwaves in June, July, and August pushed \u201cfeels-like\u201d temperatures\u202fto dangerous levels\u202fin parts of the continent.\u202fThese recurring events highlight a clear, data-backed trend:\u202fa\u202frising number of\u202fheat stress days,\u202fwhich affect\u202fnot only comfort but also health,\u202fproductivity,\u202fand wellbeing.\u202fTo help\u202findividuals,\u202forganisations, and decision-makers assess these impacts, C3S has developed\u202f<\/strong>Thermal Trace<\/u><\/strong><\/a>\u202f\u2013 a\u202fnew app\u202fwhich provides\u202fnear real-time insights into heat and cold stress. In this Observer, we take a close look at the Thermal Trace app.\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h5>\n

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The pattern of growing health impacts from extreme heat is echoed globally.\u202fNew findings<\/u><\/a>\u202fpublished by\u202fThe Lancet Countdown<\/em>\u202freveal that rising global heat is now killing one person every minute around the world. The health impacts from climate change are increasingly evident. As temperatures climb, exposure and vulnerability are converging in ways which cost lives every day.<\/p>\n

In this context, Thermal Trace provides\u202fa valuable\u202ftool. This intuitive application turns more than eighty years of\u202fUniversal Thermal Climate Index<\/u><\/strong>\u202f<\/u><\/a>(UTCI) data into clear, actionable insights on heat and cold stress, presented through maps, charts and downloadable tables which are ready to use in briefings,\u202fdashboards\u202fand media stories. In doing so, it helps citizens, journalists,\u202fplanners\u202fand public-health professionals make sense of evolving risks and prepare more effectively for the impacts of extreme temperatures.<\/p>\n

\u201cThermal Trace was created to provide crucial insights into heat and cold stress, which are key factors for human health as heatwaves become more frequent and severe. The app provides quick,\u202ffree\u202fand visually engaging access to global maps and charts on thermal stress,\u201d said Rebecca Emerton, Scientist at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) and C3S coordinator for the app\u2019s development.<\/p>\n\n

\n\"Thermal<\/a>
Video: Thermal Trace App – Copernicus Climate Change Service & ECMWF<\/em><\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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What Thermal Trace does<\/strong>\u202f\u00a0<\/h3>\n

Thermal Trace is a web application developed by C3S at ECMWF\u202fwhich allows users to explore, visualise, share and extract more than 80 years of global heat and cold stress data in just a few seconds. It draws primarily on\u202fERA5-HEAT<\/u><\/a>, a UTCI dataset derived from ERA5 reanalysis, updated in near real time, with a typical latency of about five days. This near-real-time coverage means the app is ideal for unpacking recent events, benchmarking them against the 1991\u20132020\u202freference period, and tracking changes over time.\u202fThe app is a powerful tool for past event analysis and visualisation, but it does not\u202fprovide\u202flive\u202fwarnings or forecasts. For real-time safety advice, users should always consult national meteorological and public-health services.\u202f\u202f\u00a0<\/p>\n

At first launch,\u202fThermal Trace allows to explore either cold or heat stress data; it then opens on a global map showing the peak heat (or cold) stress on the latest available day. From there, you can choose daily, monthly,\u202fseasonal\u202for annual periods; pick locations by clicking on the map, typing a place name, using your device\u2019s geolocation, or even drawing a custom region; and switch effortlessly between a set of clear visuals:\u202f<\/p>\n