Heat Wave in Europe: Impact Power Grid, Health, Crops
00:00
Temperatures across Western Europe are expected to be ten degrees above the norm in coming days. The heatwave has been triggered by a blast of hot air from North Africa. It's expected to stress power systems and has triggered health alerts. Joining me now is Joe WERTZ, Bloomberg's weather and climate reporter. Joe, thanks for joining us bright and early around the studio, around the desk. What can we expect that it's going to be scorching, but there's going to be impacts for that kind of on a human personal level, but also on a on a company level and for the energy grid itself. Yeah, that's right. So it is it's going to be super hot. It's already been super hot. Look, I mean, the this get this high pressure system in its we don't only have kind of a change of of the winds that normally blow westerly that are now blowing up from the south that we bring in in this hot blast of air from from North Africa that you mentioned. Also the high pressure is really clearing out all the clouds. So we've just got the sun just just just baking everything. So, yeah, stress in the energy grids. We've got operators in France, you know, that have have warned that the rivers there might be getting warm, that it's the same rivers that they rely on for cooling the nuclear plants there. So energy grid stress from that, plus increased cooling demand. And this thing is just sitting over Europe and just just just baking in it. How long is this expected to last and what is the impact going to be on agriculture? Yeah, we've already seen some impact from agriculture and farming. It's kind of a crucial time for some farmers in a lot of parts. You know, we should see it here for the next couple of days. Really, France is getting right in the bull's eye of this this this this heat dome effect. Temperatures there well north of 40 degrees and some of the central areas. And, you know, it's you mentioned impact on human health, which is a big deal. We've got, you know, heat health alerts, basically covering parts of the UK, big, big areas of Spain, nearly all of France. And, you know, the temperatures are going to be hot during the day, but they're also not going to cool off in a lot of these areas at night. That's come, you know, makes for uncomfortable sleeping conditions for a lot of folks. But that also doesn't give folks, you know, the relief, the cooling relief that you typically get at night, which is a major, you know, health risk for especially vulnerable people, kids or older folks. Yeah. Or folks with medical conditions. We're talking some in some areas of nighttime temperatures of 25, 25 degrees. Absolutely. Even warmer in some areas, too. So just no relief at night from this. You know, luckily we've got a lower pressure system coming in that might it should bring in a little stormy or weather some more clouds. That should also clear out that high pressure and drop temperatures a little bit. But we got a couple more days of this in store.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
35 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Heat health alert extended as soaring temperatures set to stay
A heat health alert has been extended as sizzling temperatures continue to impact Sussex. The UK Health Security Agency has extended the amber heat health alert until Wednesday, July 2, at 9am. It was originally due to end tomorrow, July 1. The alert warns of significant impacts across health and social care services, including a rise in deaths among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions. There may also be impacts on younger age groups. There is also likely to be an increased demand on all health and social care services. READ MORE: Updates as Sussex braces itself for another day of hot weather Temperatures are set to remain high in Brighton, with an average of 28C tomorrow and 27C on Wednesday. The weather for the rest of the week is forecast to remain warm, with temperatures sitting at around 23 to 24C until Sunday, July 6. The UKHSA advises people to keep out of the sun at the hottest time of the day, between 11am and 3pm, and check on family, friends and neighbours who may be at higher risk of becoming unwell.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
'Unprecedented' alerts in France as blistering heat grips Europe
A record number of heat alerts are in place across France as the country, and other parts of southern and eastern Europe, remain in the grip of soaring temperatures. Some 84 of 96 of France's mainland regions - known as departments - are currently under an orange alert - the country's second highest. France's Climate Minister Agnès Pannier-Runacher has called it an "unprecedented" situation. Heat warnings are also in place for parts of Spain, Portugal, Italy, Germany, the UK and Balkan countries including Croatia. Both Spain and Portugal had their hottest June days on record at the weekend. El Granado in Andalucía saw a temperature of 46C on Saturday, while 46.6C was recorded in the town of Mora in central Portugal on Sunday. Many countries have emergency medical services on standby and are warning people to stay inside as much as possible. Nearly 200 schools across France have been closed or partially closed as a result of the heatwave, which has gripped parts of Europe for more than a week now but is expected to peak mid-week. Education Minister Elisabeth Borne said she was working with regional authorities over the best ways to look after schoolchildren or to allow parents who can to keep their children at home. Several forest fires broke out in the southern Corbières mountain range on Sunday, leading to evacuations and the closure of a motorway. They have since been contained, fire authorities told French media on Monday. Follow our live updates Top tips on how to sleep in the heat Meanwhile, 21 Italian cities are also on the highest alert - including Rome, Milan and Venice, as is Sardinia. Mario Guarino, vice president of the Italian Society of Emergency Medicine, told AFP news agency that hospital emergency departments across the country had reported a 10% increase in heatstroke cases. Parts of the UK could see one of the hottest June days ever on Monday, with temperatures of 34C or higher possible in some parts of England. Much of Spain, which is on course to record its hottest June on record, also continues to be under heat alerts. "I can't sleep well and have insomnia. I also get heat strokes, I stop eating and I just can't focus," Anabel Sanchez, 21, told Reuters news agency in Seville. It is a similar situation in Portugal, where seven districts, including the capital, Lisbon, are on t he highest alert level. Meanwhile, the German Meteorological Service has warned that temperatures could reach almost 38C on Tuesday and Wednesday - further potentially record-breaking temperatures. Countries in and around the Balkans have also been struggling with the intense heat, although temperatures have begun to cool slightly. In Turkey, firefighters continue their efforts to put out hundreds of wildfires that have broken out in recent days. A fire in the Seferihisar district, 50km (30 miles) south-west of the resort city of Izmir, is being fuelled by winds and has already destroyed around 20 homes and some residential areas have had to be evacuated. Wildfires have also broken out in Croatia, where severe heat warnings are in place for coastal areas. Temperatures in Greece have been approaching 40C for several days and coastal towns near the capital Athens last week erupted in flames that destroyed homes - forcing people to evacuate. On Wednesday, Serbia reported its hottest day since records began, while a record 38.8C was recorded in Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina on Thursday. In Slovenia, the hottest-ever June temperature was recorded on Saturday. The temperature in North Macedonia's capital, Skopje, reached 42C on Friday - and are expected to continue in that range. While the heatwave is a potential health issue, it is also impacting the climate. 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. While it is hard to link individual extreme weather events to climate change, heatwaves are becoming more common and more intense due to climate change. Sign up for our Future Earth newsletter to keep up with the latest climate and environment stories with the BBC's Justin Rowlatt. Outside the UK? Sign up to our international newsletter here. Spain records temperature of 46C as Europe heatwave continues Southern Europe swelters as heatwave spreads
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Alcaraz, Sabalenka in action on day one at sizzling Wimbledon
World number one Aryna Sabalenka with an ice pack on her head during a training session at Wimbledon (HENRY NICHOLLS) Carlos Alcaraz launches his bid for a third straight Wimbledon crown on Monday while Aryna Sabalenka seeks to banish a season of Grand Slam final misery as temperatures soared on the opening day of the championships. With London sweltering in a summer heatwave, Alcaraz will aim to maintain his red-hot form in the opening match on Centre Court against 38-year-old Italian Fabio Fognini. Advertisement Having vanquished seven-time champion Novak Djokovic in the past two Wimbledon finals, Alcaraz is looking to join an elite group at the All England Club. The 22-year-old has won 29 of his 32 Tour-level matches on grass, with his last defeat at Wimbledon coming against world number one Jannik Sinner in the last 16 in 2022. Alcaraz 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 Djokovic. "I really want to lift the trophy. I'm not thinking about how many players have done it, winning three Wimbledons in a row," said the Spaniard, who beat Sinner in an epic French Open final earlier this month. Advertisement "I'm just thinking that I want to prepare myself in the best way possible. Obviously, I feel a lot of confidence right now." Former England captain David Beckham will watch the action from the royal box on Centre Court, alongside ex-England manager Gareth Southgate. - Mercury soars - Temperatures on Monday are expected to climb to at least 33 degrees Celsius (91 degrees Fahrenheit). According to the Met Office, it is provisionally the hottest start to Wimbledon on record, with 29.7 Celsius being recorded nearby. The tournament has a heat rule that it is ready to activate to safeguard the health of the players. Advertisement 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. "We do have the heat rule available to us which again is well used on the tour so we will be taking heat stress monitor readings." Sabalenka will be determined to keep her cool when the women's top seed starts her campaign against Canadian qualifier Carson Branstine on Court One. Advertisement The 27-year-old Belarusian is a three-time Grand Slam champion but has suffered agonising three-set defeats in this year's Australian Open and French Open finals. Sabalenka was beaten by Madison Keys in Melbourne and Coco Gauff in Paris, with the latter defeat triggering a frustrated outburst from the loser. She was heavily criticised for claiming the Roland Garros loss was due to her own mistakes rather than Gauff's performance. "I didn't really want to offend her (Gauff). I was just completely upset with myself, and emotions overcame me. I just completely lost it," Sabalenka said. Advertisement "It was a tough time for me. The lesson is learned. I was able to sit back and be open to myself, not just to ignore some things. "I really hope it will never happen again." Elsewhere on Monday, German third seed Alexander Zverev faces France's Arthur Rinderknech, while Italian women's fourth seed Jasmine Paolini, beaten by Barbora Krejcikova in last year's final, opens against Anastasija Sevastova of Latvia. There are 23 British players in the men's and women's singles, the most since 1984, with former US Open champion Emma Raducanu and Katie Boulter among those in action on Monday. Advertisement A significant change this year will be the absence of line judges after a switch to electronic line calling. "It will be a little bit different and I think it'll take us a little bit of time to get used to that but we felt very much that it was time to move on," said Bolton. With thousands of people in the queue for tickets on Monday the All England Club is advising people not to travel. smg/jw/pi
