Scorching temperatures grip Europe, putting regions on high alert
Forest fires fanned by high winds and hot, dry weather damaged some holiday homes in Turkey as a lingering heat wave that has cooked much of Europe led authorities to raise warnings and tourists to find ways to beat the heat on Monday.
A heat dome hovered over an arc from France, Portugal and Spain to Turkey, while data from European forecasters suggested other countries were set to broil further in coming days.
New highs are expected on Wednesday before rain is forecast to bring respite to some areas later this week. 'Extreme heat is no longer a rare event — it has become the new normal,' tweeted UN Secretary-General António Guterres from Seville, Spain, where temperatures were expected to hit 42 Celsius (nearly 108 Fahrenheit) on Monday afternoon.
Reiterating his frequent calls for action to fight climate change, Guterres added: 'The planet is getting hotter & more dangerous — no country is immune.'
In Portugal — his home country — one reading on Sunday turned up a suspected record-high June temperature of 46.6 C (115.9F) in Mora, about 100 kilometers (60 miles) east of Lisbon.
Weather officials were working to confirm whether that marked a new record. Portuguese authorities issued a red heat warning Monday for seven of 18 districts as temperatures were forecast to hit 43 degrees Celsius (more than 109F).
The first heatwave of the year has gripped Spain since the weekend and no relief is expected until Thursday, Spain's national weather service said Monday. The country appeared to hit a new high for June on Saturday when 46 degrees C (114 F) was tallied in the southern province of Huelva.
In France, which was almost entirely sweltering in the heatwave on Monday and where air conditioning remains relatively rare, local and national authorities were taking extra effort to care for homeless and elderly people and people working outside. Some tourists were putting off plans for some rigorous outdoor activities.
'We were going to do a bike tour today actually, but we decided because it was gonna be so warm not to do the bike tour,' said Andrea Tyson, 46, who was visiting Paris from New Philadelphia, Ohio, on Sunday. Misting stations doused passers-by along the Seine in the French capital.
France's first significant forest fires of the season consumed 400 hectares (988 acres) of woods Sunday and Monday in the Aude region in the south. Water-dumping planes and some 300 firefighters were mobilized, the regional emergency service said. Tourists were evacuated from one campground in the area.
In Turkey, forest fires fanned by strong winds damaged some holiday homes in Izmir's Doganbey region and forced the temporary closure of the airport in Izmir, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported. Authorities evacuated four villages as a precaution, the Forestry Ministry said.
In Italy, the Health Ministry put 21 cities under its level three 'red' alert, which indicates 'emergency conditions with possible negative effects' on healthy, active people as well as at-risk old people, children and chronically ill people. Regional governments in northwestern Liguria and southern Sicily in Italy put restrictions on outdoor work, such as construction and agricultural labor, during the peak heat hours. The mercury was rising farther north, too.
Britain's national weather service, the Met Office, said the Wimbledon Championships were facing what could be their hottest start on record — with temperatures of just under 30 degrees Celsius (about 85 Fahrenheit) recorded at the nearby Kew Gardens.
Tennis enthusiasts fanned themselves or sought shade from the blazing sun as the first day of matches got underway at the All England Club on Monday. Tournament rules allow players to take a 10-minute break when the heat hits 30.1 degrees Celsius or more in mid-match.
In southern Germany, temperatures of up to 35 degrees Celsius (95 Fahrenheit) were expected on Monday, and they were forecast to creep higher until midweek – going as high as 39 degrees (102F) on Wednesday. Some German towns and regions imposed limits on how much water can be taken from rivers and lakes.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Southern Europe roasts as temperatures soar
PARIS: Paris was put on red alert for extreme heat and Spain and Portugal reported record temperatures on Monday as a heatwave across southern Europe triggered health warnings and fuelled wildfires. The summer's first major heatwave has scorched countries along the northern coast of the Mediterranean and the sea itself hit a record temperature for the month of June, meteorologists said. France's national weather agency placed Paris and 15 other departments on its highest weather alert for Tuesday, with temperatures of up to 41 degrees Celsius (105.8 Fahrenheit) predicted. Police ordered all but the least polluting vehicles off the road between 5:30 am (0330 GMT) and midnight in the Ile-de-France region that includes the capital because of harmful ozone pollution. Speed restrictions were also imposed. Ambulances stood ready near tourist hotspots as experts warned that such heatwaves, intensified by climate change, would become more frequent. In Turkey, rescuers evacuated more than 50,000 people threatened by a string of wildfires. Most were from the western province of Izmir, where winds of 120 kilometres (75 miles) per hour fanned the blazes. Firefighters also battled blazes that broke out Sunday in Italy, fed by the heat and whipped up by strong winds, while about hectares (988 acres) of vegetation were destroyed by fire off a motorway in southern France. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 남재현 박사, 굶어도 안 빠지는 "내장비만" 원인 발견.. 남재현 체지방 다이어트 더 알아보기 Undo The blaze was blamed on a poorly extinguished barbecue. Cities were meanwhile offering different ways to stay cool, from free swimming pools in Marseille and parks open until 11:00 pm in Bordeaux, to free guided tours for the elderly in Venice's air-conditioned museums. Records Temperatures in southern Spain soared to 46C on Saturday -- a new record for June -- the national weather agency said. The Mediterranean Sea itself was warmer than usual, recording a new June high of 26.01C on Sunday, according to French weather service scientist Thibault Guinaldo, citing data from EU monitor Copernicus. Agathe Lacombe, a tourist from Strasbourg visiting Madrid with her family, called the heatwave "a bit difficult". "You have to adapt your whole day's planning, do everything in the morning and come home at the hottest times to find a bit of cool," she told AFP. Portugal's national meteorological agency said Monday the temperature had reached 46.6C in Mora on Sunday, which experts cited by local media said was a new June record. Seven regions in central and southern Portugal, including the capital Lisbon, were placed on red alert for the second day running Monday, with fire warnings in many forested areas. In Italy, images posted by local media showed people running into the sea at a beach resort in Baia Domizia near Naples as flames tore through pinewoods behind them. "I have never experienced anything like this, we were surrounded by flames at least thirty meters high, smoke everywhere," the mayor of nearby Cellole, Guido di Leone, wrote on Facebook. Peak In France, where the night from Sunday to Monday was the highest ever recorded for June, the heatwave is due to peak on Tuesday and Wednesday. The government said it expected nearly 1,350 schools to be partially or completely shut on Tuesday -- nearly double the number on Monday. The sizzling temperatures will stretch to the end of the week and beyond in Italy, according to Antonio Spano, founder of the meteorological website. Authorities have issued red alerts for 18 cities over the next few days, including Rome, Milan, Verona, Perugia and Palermo. Italy's opposition parties urged the government Monday to improve conditions in the country's stifling prisons, which are notoriously overcrowded. The same problem also affects French prisons and the prison governors' union called the situation "unbearable". Heat "exacerbates existing frustrations and tensions", added Wilfried Fonck, national secretary of the Ufap Unsa Justice prison union. "The situation needs to be defused to stop things from escalating more than usual," he told AFP. Scientists say climate change is stoking hotter and more intense heatwaves, particularly in cities where the so-called "urban heat island" effect amplifies temperatures among tightly packed buildings. 'Not normal' In Croatia, the vast majority of the coastline was on red alert, while an extreme temperature alert was issued for Montenegro. With little relief in sight, the meteorological service in Serbia warned that "severe and extreme drought conditions prevail" in much of the country. In Madrid, where temperatures approached 40C, 32-year-old photographer Diego Radames told AFPTV he found the June heat "not normal". "As the years go by, I have the feeling that Madrid is getting hotter and hotter, especially in the city centre," he added. Further north, Britain's Met Office weather service upped the number of amber heat alerts on Monday to seven regions, as temperatures hit 34C in London and southeast England. The BBC said temperatures at Wimbledon, where the annual tennis championships got under way, hit 31.4C by 1500 GMT, making it the hottest opening day on record. "Wimbledon when it's really hot is quite sweaty. Last time we were very hot so this time we've got rose (wine) in a cooler so we can do a better job," said spectator Sean Tipper, 31.
Time of India
6 hours ago
- Time of India
Day after monsoon onset, cloudy skies and rain cool city
New Delhi: A day after the southwest monsoon officially arrived, the city experienced patchy rainfall ranging from very light to moderate intensity, bringing further relief from the heat. Thick, dark monsoon clouds blanketed Delhi and its surrounding areas throughout Monday, contributing to a noticeable dip in daytime temperatures. While the India Meteorological Department (IMD) had predicted moderate rain for the day, it did not issue any colour-coded weather warnings for the remainder of the week. However, light rain is still expected to persist in the coming days. "Delhi is currently under the influence of the monsoon trough, which is nearby. Light to moderate rain is likely across the Delhi-NCR region for the next two days. The trough will gradually shift south of Delhi from July 2, leading to isolated light rainfall," said Mahesh Palawat, vice president of Climate Change and Meteorology at Skymet. You Can Also Check: Delhi AQI | Weather in Delhi | Bank Holidays in Delhi | Public Holidays in Delhi According to IMD, rainfall distribution on Monday was uneven. Palam recorded 14.4 mm of rain, Ayanagar 20 mm, Najafgarh 4 mm, Rajghat 0.2 mm, and the Ridge area 1 mm. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Adidas Three Shorts With 60% Discount, Limited Stock Available Original Adidas Shop Now Undo The base station at Safdarjung, however, reported no rainfall on Monday, although it had recorded 14 mm a day earlier during the onset of the monsoon. Temperature levels also continued to decline. Mayur Vihar in east Delhi was the coolest part of the city, with a maximum temperature of 27.9 degrees Celsius, followed by Rajghat at 29 degrees Celsius. At Safdarjung, the maximum temperature was 30.6 degrees Celsius — seven degrees below the seasonal normal and down from 32.8 degrees Celsius the previous day. The minimum temperature settled at 24 degrees Celsius, four degrees below normal. Humidity levels ranged from 85% to 100%, while easterly and north-easterly winds blew at speeds of up to 6 km/h. The maximum temperature on Tuesday is expected to hover between 31 degrees Celsius and 33 degrees Celsius. Meanwhile, air quality saw further improvement. The Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 65, down from 83 the previous day—both within the 'satisfactory' category on the 0–500 scale. The southwest monsoon's arrival in Delhi was slightly delayed this year, as the IMD had earlier forecast it for June 24.
Time of India
8 hours ago
- Time of India
Alcaraz survives scare, Sabalenka cruises on Wimbledon's hottest opening day
London: Carlos Alcaraz survived a major scare in his Wimbledon opener while Aryna Sabalenka kept her cool to cruise into the second round on the hottest opening day in the tournament's history. Temperatures at the All England Club on Monday topped 32 degrees Celsius (89.6 Fahrenheit), surpassing the previous record for the start of the tournament of 29.3 Celsius set in 2001. Alcaraz ignored the sweltering conditions, digging dip for a 7-5, 6-7 (5/7), 7-5, 2-6, 6-1 win over 38-year-old Fabio Fognini in a gruelling clash lasting four hours and 37 minutes on Centre Court. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Play War Thunder now for free War Thunder Play Now Undo It was first time since Roger Federer narrowly beat Alejandro Falla in 2010 that a defending champion had been taken to a fifth set in the Wimbledon first round. Alcaraz shrugged off an inconsistent display including 62 unforced errors as the world number two refused to wilt in the heat. Live Events "I don't know why it is probably Fabio's last Wimbledon because the level he has shown shows he can still play for three or four more years," said the Spaniard. "Playing on Centre Court for the first match of any tournament is never easy. Wimbledon is special and different. I just tried to play my best but I would say that I could play better." During the match the 22-year-old rushed to help a spectator who had collapsed in the stands, handing over a bottle of water as medics came to the woman's aid. Alcaraz, who has never lost in a Grand Slam first round in 18 appearances, faces British qualifier Oliver Tarvet in the second round. The five-time Grand Slam champion is bidding to become the fifth man in the Open Era to win at least three consecutive Wimbledon titles after Bjorn Borg, Pete Sampras, Roger Federer and seven-time champion Djokovic. With players and fans searching for shade from the London heatwave, former England captain David Beckham watched the action from the royal box, alongside ex-England manager Gareth Southgate. Top seed Sabalenka used ice packs to beat the heat during her 6-1, 7-5 victory over Canadian qualifier Carson Branstine on Court One. The 27-year-old Belarusian is a three-time Grand Slam champion but suffered agonising three-set defeats in this year's Australian Open and French Open finals. The world number one has never been beyond the Wimbledon semi-finals and missed last year's tournament with a shoulder injury. "I felt really great. Super grateful to be healthy and ready to compete and to be through the first round," said Sabalenka, who next faces Czech world number 48 Marie Bouzkova. Mercury soars Two-time Wimbledon finalist Ons Jabeur broke down in tears before retiring from her first-round match against Viktoriya Tomova. Tunisia's Jabeur was trailing 7-6 (7/5), 2-0 when she brought a premature end to her clash with the Bulgarian world number 111. The 30-year-old, beaten in the 2022 and 2023 Wimbledon finals, wiped away tears after losing a long fifth game in the first set and took a lengthy medical timeout. Wimbledon has a heat rule to safeguard the health of the players. The rule allows a 10-minute break to be taken between the second and third sets for women's matches and between the third and fourth sets for men's matches, when the heat stress index is at or above 30.1 degrees Celsius. "The obvious point to make is that the athletes compete in temperatures like this all year on the tour so for us Brits here at the championships it feels very hot," said Wimbledon chief executive Sally Bolton. Former US Open champion Daniil Medvedev , a Wimbledon semi-finalist for the past two years, suffered a meltdown against France's Benjamin Bonzi. Bonzi won 7-6 (7/2), 3-6, 7-6 (7/3), 6-2 in three hours and seven minutes, with the fuming Russian smashing his racquet against his chair at the end of the match. Elsewhere, former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko was beaten 7-5, 2-6, 6-2 by Britain's Sonay Kartal. Danish eighth seed Holger Rune lost 4-6, 4-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-4 to Chilean world number 143 Nicolas Jarry. Australian Open champion Madison Keys fought back to beat Elena-Gabriela Ruse 6-7, (4/7), 7-5, 7-5. Former US Open champion Emma Raducanu defeated fellow Briton Mini Xu 6-3, 6-3 to book a second-round date with 2023 Wimbledon winner Marketa Vondrousova.
