Heatwave soars in Europe as Spain hits 46C and neighbours on red alert
Record-breaking temperatures are sparking emergency health warnings, and growing fears of wildfires pushing resources to the brink, reports Express.co.uk.
Spain has become the epicentre of the crisis, as the mercury soared into the mid-40s Celsius across parts of Andalusia over the weekend.
READ MORE: Holidaymakers consider leaving Barcelona just an hour after arriving
Get breaking news on BirminghamLive WhatsApp, click the link to join
In the town of El Granado, a whopping 46C was recorded on Saturday, setting a new national record for June according to Spain's national weather service.
Cities like Seville also experienced punishing conditions, with residents and tourists scrambling for shade and relief.
Spain's meteorological agency, AEMET, has warned that this June might become the hottest on record.
Health authorities have urged people to stay indoors during the hottest hours of the day, stay hydrated, and avoid strenuous activity.
Tragically, a woman in Barcelona passed away on Saturday after finishing her shift as a street cleaner, with officials believing the extreme temperatures were likely a factor.
Red heat alerts - the highest level of warning - have been issued across parts of Portugal, Italy and Croatia, while amber warnings blanket much of southern and central Europe, including France, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hungary, Serbia, Slovenia, and Switzerland.
In Portugal's capital Lisbon, authorities fear that strong winds, bone-dry vegetation and intense heat could trigger wildfires, mirroring similar concerns across southern Europe.
Italy is also battling dangerous conditions, with red alerts active in 21 cities by Sunday morning, including Rome, Milan and Naples.
Hospitals have reported a surge in heat-related admissions, particularly among elderly people, cancer patients, and those experiencing homelessness.
Some hospitals, such as the Ospedale dei Colli in Naples, have introduced dedicated 'heatstroke pathways' to speed up life-saving cooling treatments.
Local governments are working to protect vulnerable residents. Rome has offered free swimming pool access to people over 70, while Bologna has opened climate shelters with drinking water and air conditioning.
In several regions - Lazio, Tuscany, Calabria, Puglia, and Umbria - authorities are considering temporary bans on outdoor work during the hottest hours of the day.
The heatwave's reach extends well beyond Spain and Italy. Serbia has recorded its highest temperature since records began in the 19th century, while Slovenia logged its hottest June day ever on Saturday.
In North Macedonia, temperatures climbed to 42C on Friday, and elsewhere across the Balkans, countries are struggling with temperatures exceeding 40C, putting enormous strain on hospitals and public health systems.
According to the BBC Weather Centre, the extreme conditions are being driven by a powerful area of high pressure lodged over Europe, forcing dry air to descend and warm rapidly.
As this system shifts eastwards in the coming days, it is expected to drag high temperatures towards Germany, France, and even the UK.
With some of the hottest days still ahead this week, officials are warning the public not to underestimate the threat.
Vulnerable groups - including older adults, children, and those with chronic illnesses - are being urged to take extra care.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Associated Press
an hour ago
- Associated Press
Photos of Wimbledon fans and players struggling to stay cool in record-breaking heat
LONDON (AP) — Tennis fans and players did their best to stay cool on the opening days of the Wimbledon tournament in London. Athletes plunged ice bags on their head while fans did their best to create shade with hats, umbrellas and clothing. Monday saw record-breaking Day 1 heat as the temperature rose to 91 degrees Fahrenheit — 33 Celsius — at the oldest Grand Slam tournament. The temperature soared again on Tuesday to 93 degrees Fahrenheit — 34 Celsius. This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.
CNN
2 hours ago
- CNN
The increasingly common weather pattern responsible for the brutal European heat wave
A marine heat wave in the Mediterranean Sea is combining with a powerful heat dome to cause Europe to swelter under a brutal early summer heat wave. It's a pattern that's popping up frequently as the planet warms: The influence of Mediterranean marine heat waves has been more pronounced in recent summers, with the ocean heat playing a role in spiking temperatures on land, contributing to deadly floods and stoking devastating fires. Water temperatures in the Mediterranean Sea are up to 9 degrees above average for this time of year amid a significant marine heat wave. The most intense warming is present in the western Mediterranean, including just south of France. This is helping to cause high humidity to surge north and to keep temperatures elevated at night across the heat wave-affected regions. The heat wave, which also involves hot air flowing north from Africa, is also reinforcing the marine heat wave in a feedback cycle. Temperatures have broken records in Spain and Portugal as swaths of Europe brace for more records to fall through Wednesday as the heat wave intensifies. The town of El Granado in Spain saw temperatures spike to 46 degrees Celsius (114.8 Fahrenheit) on Sunday, a new national record for June, according to Spain's national meteorological service AEMET. Last month was Spain's hottest June in recorded history, as temperatures 'pulverized records,' Aemet said Tuesday. In Portugal, a provisional temperature of 46.6 degrees Celsius (115.9 Fahrenheit) was recorded in the city of Mora, about 80 miles east of Lisbon, according to the country's weather service IPMA, which would be a new national record for June. Scorching heat is sweeping almost the entirety of France. Multiple towns and cities endured temperatures above 100 degrees on Monday, according to provisional recordings from Météo France. A red heat wave warning, the highest designation, is in place for 16 French départements Tuesday, including Île-de-France, where Paris is located. The Eiffel Tower summit is closed to tourists Tuesday and Wednesday due to the heat. The United Kingdom is also baking, currently enduring its second heat wave of the summer. Temperatures pushed above 90 degrees on Monday, making for very uncomfortable conditions in a country where fewer than 5% of homes have air conditioning. 'The current June-July heatwave is exposing millions of Europeans to high heat stress,' Samantha Burgess, strategic lead for climate at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasting, said in a statement. 'The temperatures observed recently are more typical of the months of July and August and tend to only happen a few times each summer.' Wildfires are sweeping several countries as the temperatures spike. Fires broke out Sunday in Aude, in the southwest of the country, burning nearly 400 acres. In Turkey, 50,000 people have been evacuated as firefighters tackle fierce blazes mostly in the western Izmir and Manisa provinces. Temperature records are also poised to fall Tuesday and Wednesday in Germany as the heat dome expands east, and before a series of relief-providing cold fronts begin to swing into northwestern Europe from the west. Human-caused climate change is causing heat waves to be more frequent, intense and long-lasting. Europe is the fastest-warming continent, and is warming at twice the rate of the rest of the world. Climate change is also leading to more frequent and intense marine heat waves.
CNN
2 hours ago
- CNN
The increasingly common weather pattern responsible for the brutal European heat wave
A marine heat wave in the Mediterranean Sea is combining with a powerful heat dome to cause Europe to swelter under a brutal early summer heat wave. It's a pattern that's popping up frequently as the planet warms: The influence of Mediterranean marine heat waves has been more pronounced in recent summers, with the ocean heat playing a role in spiking temperatures on land, contributing to deadly floods and stoking devastating fires. Water temperatures in the Mediterranean Sea are up to 9 degrees above average for this time of year amid a significant marine heat wave. The most intense warming is present in the western Mediterranean, including just south of France. This is helping to cause high humidity to surge north and to keep temperatures elevated at night across the heat wave-affected regions. The heat wave, which also involves hot air flowing north from Africa, is also reinforcing the marine heat wave in a feedback cycle. Temperatures have broken records in Spain and Portugal as swaths of Europe brace for more records to fall through Wednesday as the heat wave intensifies. The town of El Granado in Spain saw temperatures spike to 46 degrees Celsius (114.8 Fahrenheit) on Sunday, a new national record for June, according to Spain's national meteorological service AEMET. Last month was Spain's hottest June in recorded history, as temperatures 'pulverized records,' Aemet said Tuesday. In Portugal, a provisional temperature of 46.6 degrees Celsius (115.9 Fahrenheit) was recorded in the city of Mora, about 80 miles east of Lisbon, according to the country's weather service IPMA, which would be a new national record for June. Scorching heat is sweeping almost the entirety of France. Multiple towns and cities endured temperatures above 100 degrees on Monday, according to provisional recordings from Météo France. A red heat wave warning, the highest designation, is in place for 16 French départements Tuesday, including Île-de-France, where Paris is located. The Eiffel Tower summit is closed to tourists Tuesday and Wednesday due to the heat. The United Kingdom is also baking, currently enduring its second heat wave of the summer. Temperatures pushed above 90 degrees on Monday, making for very uncomfortable conditions in a country where fewer than 5% of homes have air conditioning. 'The current June-July heatwave is exposing millions of Europeans to high heat stress,' Samantha Burgess, strategic lead for climate at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasting, said in a statement. 'The temperatures observed recently are more typical of the months of July and August and tend to only happen a few times each summer.' Wildfires are sweeping several countries as the temperatures spike. Fires broke out Sunday in Aude, in the southwest of the country, burning nearly 400 acres. In Turkey, 50,000 people have been evacuated as firefighters tackle fierce blazes mostly in the western Izmir and Manisa provinces. Temperature records are also poised to fall Tuesday and Wednesday in Germany as the heat dome expands east, and before a series of relief-providing cold fronts begin to swing into northwestern Europe from the west. Human-caused climate change is causing heat waves to be more frequent, intense and long-lasting. Europe is the fastest-warming continent, and is warming at twice the rate of the rest of the world. Climate change is also leading to more frequent and intense marine heat waves.
