Red Alert Heat Warnings Issued Across Europe as Temperatures Soar
Europe is facing another scorching wave this week as an exceptional African anticyclone continues to bring extreme heat across the continent. With mercury levels soaring above 40°C in many regions, authorities have issued new red alert heat warnings for several countries, including Spain, Portugal, Italy, Germany, and the UK. Emergency cases are on the rise, with scientists warning that these heatwaves are becoming more frequent and intense, directly linked to climate change.
Italy: Highs Above 40°C and a National Health Crisis
In Rome, residents and tourists alike are finding creative ways to combat the stifling heat as temperatures climb above 40°C. Popular cooling methods include dunking arms and faces into the city's fountains and enjoying ice creams along the way.
Italy's Health Ministry has issued red alert heat warnings for 17 cities, including Rome, Florence, Turin, and Milan. To help those struggling with the extreme temperatures, the Civil Protection set up air-conditioned tents throughout the city, along with mobile units distributing bottles of water from the Colosseum to the Vatican.
But the heatwave hasn't come without tragedy. On Monday, a tragic incident occurred near Bologna where a construction worker died after the intense heat contributed to an accident on site. Additionally, a drowning occurred in the Fréjus River in northern Italy due to rapid flooding.
Spain: Wildfires and Record-Setting Temperatures
In Spain, the Catalonia region was hit hard by a wildfire that claimed the lives of two people on Tuesday. Emergency services are still on high alert as the country braces for additional wildfires, with wind and thunderstorms predicted to worsen conditions on Wednesday.
The country recorded its first heatwave of the year, and Huelva hit a record 46°C on Saturday. With no respite in sight until Thursday, residents, particularly in Madrid, are struggling to manage the sweltering temperatures.
The Netherlands: Cooling Relief in Soest
In the Netherlands, the town of Soest found a novel way to bring relief to residents. Firefighters set up a cooling station in a local park, where families joined in an impromptu water fight, spraying each other with water pistols to stay cool. The initiative was met with positive feedback from the local community, with many appreciating the fun and refreshing break from the heat.
France: Paris Traps Heat in Historic Streets
In Paris, soaring temperatures are highlighting how the city's dense urban landscape traps and radiates heat. Erwan Cordeau, an urban climatologist, explained that the limestone facades of Parisian buildings absorb heat throughout the day and release it long into the night, causing overnight temperatures to stay six to seven degrees hotter than the suburbs.
The French capital is adapting with initiatives like the creation of green island parks in the west of the city, providing shaded areas that help reduce the heat for vulnerable residents. However, urban experts believe that further adaptations—like adding solar shades, installing shutters, or planting vegetation—will be key to making cities more resilient to the growing number of heatwaves.
The Bigger Picture: Climate Change's Growing Impact
As Europe swelters under intense heat, experts are drawing a direct link between the rising frequency and severity of these heatwaves and climate change. Scientists have been warning for years that such extreme weather events are becoming increasingly common, particularly across the southern regions of Europe, as the planet warms.
With this summer heatwave still in full swing, Europe faces a harsh reminder that climate change is already here—and its impacts are being felt more severely each year.
Stay safe and hydrated as Europe battles this unprecedented heatwave.
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Cedar News
3 days ago
- Cedar News
Red Alert Heat Warnings Issued Across Europe as Temperatures Soar
02/07/2025 – 15:00 GMT+2 Europe is facing another scorching wave this week as an exceptional African anticyclone continues to bring extreme heat across the continent. With mercury levels soaring above 40°C in many regions, authorities have issued new red alert heat warnings for several countries, including Spain, Portugal, Italy, Germany, and the UK. Emergency cases are on the rise, with scientists warning that these heatwaves are becoming more frequent and intense, directly linked to climate change. Italy: Highs Above 40°C and a National Health Crisis In Rome, residents and tourists alike are finding creative ways to combat the stifling heat as temperatures climb above 40°C. Popular cooling methods include dunking arms and faces into the city's fountains and enjoying ice creams along the way. Italy's Health Ministry has issued red alert heat warnings for 17 cities, including Rome, Florence, Turin, and Milan. To help those struggling with the extreme temperatures, the Civil Protection set up air-conditioned tents throughout the city, along with mobile units distributing bottles of water from the Colosseum to the Vatican. But the heatwave hasn't come without tragedy. On Monday, a tragic incident occurred near Bologna where a construction worker died after the intense heat contributed to an accident on site. Additionally, a drowning occurred in the Fréjus River in northern Italy due to rapid flooding. Spain: Wildfires and Record-Setting Temperatures In Spain, the Catalonia region was hit hard by a wildfire that claimed the lives of two people on Tuesday. Emergency services are still on high alert as the country braces for additional wildfires, with wind and thunderstorms predicted to worsen conditions on Wednesday. The country recorded its first heatwave of the year, and Huelva hit a record 46°C on Saturday. With no respite in sight until Thursday, residents, particularly in Madrid, are struggling to manage the sweltering temperatures. The Netherlands: Cooling Relief in Soest In the Netherlands, the town of Soest found a novel way to bring relief to residents. Firefighters set up a cooling station in a local park, where families joined in an impromptu water fight, spraying each other with water pistols to stay cool. The initiative was met with positive feedback from the local community, with many appreciating the fun and refreshing break from the heat. France: Paris Traps Heat in Historic Streets In Paris, soaring temperatures are highlighting how the city's dense urban landscape traps and radiates heat. Erwan Cordeau, an urban climatologist, explained that the limestone facades of Parisian buildings absorb heat throughout the day and release it long into the night, causing overnight temperatures to stay six to seven degrees hotter than the suburbs. The French capital is adapting with initiatives like the creation of green island parks in the west of the city, providing shaded areas that help reduce the heat for vulnerable residents. However, urban experts believe that further adaptations—like adding solar shades, installing shutters, or planting vegetation—will be key to making cities more resilient to the growing number of heatwaves. The Bigger Picture: Climate Change's Growing Impact As Europe swelters under intense heat, experts are drawing a direct link between the rising frequency and severity of these heatwaves and climate change. Scientists have been warning for years that such extreme weather events are becoming increasingly common, particularly across the southern regions of Europe, as the planet warms. With this summer heatwave still in full swing, Europe faces a harsh reminder that climate change is already here—and its impacts are being felt more severely each year. Stay safe and hydrated as Europe battles this unprecedented heatwave.
MTV Lebanon
4 days ago
- MTV Lebanon
Heatwave Grips Europe: France Closes Schools, Italy Restricts Outdoor Work
Italy banned outdoor work in some regions during the warmest hours, France shut schools and part of the Eiffel Tower and Spain confirmed its hottest June on record as a severe heatwave gripped Europe, triggering widespread health alerts. The risks of working outside in searing temperatures were highlighted as trade unions attributed the death of a construction worker near the Italian city Bologna on Monday to the heat. In Barcelona, authorities were looking into whether the death of a street sweeper over the weekend was also heat-related. Turkey continued to battle wildfires which forced the temporary evacuation of around 50,000 people on Monday in areas surrounding the city of Izmir, the province of Manisa and Hatay in the southeast. Europe is the world's fastest-warming continent, heating up at twice the global average, according to the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service, with extreme heatwaves starting earlier in the year and persisting for longer. "What is exceptional ... but not unprecedented is the time of year," said World Meteorological Organization spokesperson Clare Nullis, adding that extreme heat episodes were seen now "which normally we would see later on in the summer." Higher temperatures in the Mediterranean Sea tend to reinforce extreme temperatures over land areas, she said. The Mediterranean Sea hit a record 30 C (86 F) off Spain, six degrees above the seasonal average, Spanish weather forecaster AEMET said, as a high pressure system trapped hot air above Europe, a phenomenon known as a heat dome. JUNE A SCORCHER Spain recorded its hottest June last month, with an average temperature of 23.6 C, AEMET said. Indeed, for the continent, the month likely ranks among the five warmest Junes on record, Copernicus said. England experienced its hottest June since at least 1884, the Met Office said, citing provisional data. The Red Cross set up an air-conditioned "climate refuge" for residents in southern Malaga, said IFRC spokesperson Tommaso Della Longa, while in Germany, people hit the ski slopes to avoid heat in the cities. Extreme heat kills up to 480,000 people annually around the world, according to Swiss Re, which notes this exceeds the combined toll from floods, earthquakes and hurricanes. The heat was set to peak in France on Tuesday, reaching 40-41 C in some areas, weather forecaster Meteo France said. Nearly 1,900 schools were closed, up from around 200 on Monday. A Paris-Milan rail service was disrupted because of a mudslide on the French side of the Alps, with full service not expected to be fully restored until mid-July, French rail operator SNCF said. The top floor of the Eiffel Tower closed on Tuesday and Wednesday, disappointing scores of visitors. "I tried to get all organised before our departure and the result is nonsense," said Laia Pons, 42, a teacher from Barcelona who booked Eiffel tickets for her family three years ago. When temperatures rise, the puddled iron used to build the Eiffel Tower expands in size and tilts slightly, with no impact on its structural integrity, according to its website.
MTV Lebanon
5 days ago
- MTV Lebanon
Two Dead in Italy as Heatwave Scorches Much of Europe
Two people have died in Italy as temperatures continue to soar amid an intense heatwave across Europe. In Bologna a 47-year-old died after falling ill on a construction site while a 70-year-old man was reported drowned during flash flooding at a tourist resort to the west of Turin. Elsewhere on the continent, tens of thousands of people have been evacuated because of wildfires in western Turkey, while the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris has been closed because of the heatwave. Parts of Spain and Portugal recorded their highest ever June temperatures, with 46C registered at El Granado in south-west Spain, a day after records were broken in Mora in central Portugal. Spain's Aemet meteorological agency said that several places across the Iberian peninsula had topped 43C, but a respite in temperatures was on its way from Thursday. Night-time temperatures recorded overnight into Tuesday hit 28C in Seville and 27C in Barcelona. In Turkey, rescuers evacuated more than 50,000 people - mostly from the western province of Izmir - as firefighters continued to put out hundreds of wildfires that had broken out in recent days. Fires have also swept through parts of Bilecik, Hatay, Sakarya, and Manisa provinces. Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumakli said over the past three days, emergency teams had responded to 263 wildfires nationwide. In France, many cities experienced their hottest night and day on record for June on Monday, but forecasters have said the heatwave should expect to peak on Tuesday. Climate Minister Agnès Pannier-Runacher called an "unprecedented" situation. For first time in five years the Paris region has activated a red alert, along with 15 other French regions. The Ministry of Education has said 1,350 public schools will either be partially or completely closed on Tuesday. A reading of 46.6 C (115.9F) was registered in Mora, Portugal, about 60 miles east of Lisbon on Sunday. Portuguese weather officials were working to confirm whether that marked a new record for June. In Italy, the Tuscany region has seen hospital admissions rise by 20%, according to local reports. Italians in 21 out of the 27 cities have been subjected to the highest heat alert and 13 regions, including Lombardy and Emilia, have been advised not to venture outside during the hottest periods of the day. In Lombardy, working outdoors has been banned from 12:30 to 16:00 on hot days on building sites, roads and farms until September. Temperatures in Greece have been approaching 40C for several days and wildfires hit several coastal towns near the capital Athens destroying homes and forcing people to evacuate. Parts of the UK were just shy of being one of the hottest June days ever on Monday. The highest UK temperature of the day was recorded at Heathrow Airport in London at 33.1C. Meanwhile, Wimbledon recorded a temperature of 32.9C, the tennis tournament's hottest opening day on record. In Germany, the country's meteorological service warned that temperatures could reach almost 38C on Tuesday and Wednesday - further potentially record-breaking temperatures. The heatwave lowered levels in the Rhine River - a major shipping route - limiting the amount cargo ships can transport and raising freighting costs. Countries in and around the Balkans have also been struggling with the intense heat, although temperatures have begun to cool. Wildfires have also been reported in Montenegro. While the heatwave is a potential health issue, it is also impacting the environment. Higher temperatures in the Adriatic Sea are encouraging invasive species such as the poisonous lionfish, while also causing further stress on alpine glaciers that are already shrinking at record rates. The UN's human rights chief, Volker Turk, warned on Monday that the heatwave highlighted the need for climate adaptation - moving away from practices and energy sources, such as fossil fuels, which are the main cause of climate change. "Rising temperatures, rising seas, floods, droughts, and wildfires threaten our rights to life, to health, to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, and much more," he told the UN's Human Rights Council. Heatwaves are becoming more common due to human-caused climate change, according to the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Extreme hot weather will happen more often – and become even more intense - as the planet continues to warm, it has said. Richard Allan, Professor of Climate Science at the University of Reading in the UK, explained that rising greenhouse gas levels are making it harder for the planet to lose excess heat. "The warmer, thirstier atmosphere is more effective at drying soils, meaning heatwaves are intensifying, with moderate heat events now becoming extreme."
