A dangerous heat wave is gripping large swaths of Europe, driving temperatures far above seasonal norms and prompting widespread health and fire alerts. The extreme heat is forecast to persist into next week, with minimal relief expected overnight.
France, Spain, Portugal, Italy and Greece are among the nations experiencing the most severe conditions, as meteorologists warn that Europe can expect more and hotter heat waves in the future because of climate change.
In Spain, temperatures reached 114.8 degrees Fahrenheit (46 degrees Celsius) on Saturday in El Granado, in the southwest of Spain.
According to AEMET, Spain’s state meteorological agency, the figure — pending validation — would set a new national record for June, surpassing the previous high of 113 degrees, recorded in Seville six decades ago.
AEMET warned that the heat wave would persist at least through midweek, with temperatures widely exceeding 95 degrees Fahrenheit and climbing to over 104 along the Mediterranean coast and the southeastern highlands.
Nighttime lows are not expected to fall below 68 degrees.
Spain’s Ministry of Health issued red, “high risk,” alerts across broad areas in the north and west of the country through Monday. Officials urged the public to stay hydrated, avoid exposure during peak sunlight hours and monitor vulnerable groups, including the elderly, pregnant people, children, outdoor laborers and those with chronic illnesses.
In Portugal, temperatures also soared on Saturday, reaching 113.7 degrees in Alvega, in the central district of Santarém. The country’s national meteorological service said that the heat wave would extend into the coming week.
For more than a week, France also has been enduring a heat wave. Météo-France, the national weather service, said this marked the country’s fiftieth heat wave since 1947.
On Wednesday, temperatures rose above 106 degrees Fahrenheit in Céret, in the southwest, before violent thunderstorms swept across the country. Paris was among the areas hit by flooding, wind gusts up to 85 miles per hour, large hailstones and more than 15,000 lightning strikes.
Although the storms briefly cooled the country on Thursday, Météo-France said the heat wave would continue as temperatures continued to rise through the rest of the week, peaking near 105 degrees across northern, central and southern regions.
Overnight temperatures are expected to remain high, too, remaining above 68 degrees. Meteorologists at Météo-France said that sea surface temperatures in the Mediterranean, currently nine degrees above average, were a contributing factor.
Most of the country remains under a Level 3, “be careful,” heat alert through Monday.
The source of the persistent heat is a high-pressure system sitting over Western Europe, known as a heat dome. Acting like a lid, the dome traps hot, dry air and intensifies heat over time. As the system shifts eastward, it is also drawing hot air from North Africa, further accelerating warming across the region.
Britain is now in its second official heat wave of the year. Forecasters expected highs of 93 degrees on Monday. The U.K. Met Office defines a heat wave as three consecutive days meeting or exceeding region-specific thresholds, which range from 77 degrees in the north and west, including Scotland and Northern Ireland, to 82 degrees in London and the surrounding counties.
The highest temperatures are expected across central and eastern England, coinciding with the start of the Wimbledon tennis tournament. Tuesday could bring higher temperatures, up to 95 degrees, though that is expected only in the southeast of the country.
Nights will offer little relief.
“Overnight temperatures will remain high,” said Matthew Lenhert, a chief meteorologist at the Met Office, “with some locations not dropping below 20 degrees Celsius in what is called a tropical night.” (Twenty degrees Celsius equals 68 degrees Fahrenheit).
Southern Europe is also under strain.
In Greece, a wildfire broke out south of Athens on Thursday, as temperatures surged. Authorities issued evacuation orders for several communities and closed sections of the coastal road linking the capital to Sounion, home to the historic Temple of Poseidon.
By Friday, temperatures exceeded 104 degrees in many areas of Greece, with the highest reading recorded in Skala, Messinia, in the southern Peloponnese, at 109.7 degrees.
The Hellenic National Meteorological Service issued an emergency weather warning on Friday, with high temperature alerts remaining in effect for parts of the northern and western mainland, Crete and nearby islands. Forecasters expected temperatures near 100 degrees through at least Monday.
In Italy, the Ministry of Health placed 21 of the 27 cities it monitors under its highest-level heat alert. Rome, Milan and Naples were among those under the Level 3 alert, which signals emergency heat conditions that pose health risks, even to healthy and active individuals.
By Sunday afternoon, temperatures in Tor Vergata, a southeastern suburb of Rome, were close to 104 degrees. Summers in Rome typically experience average highs of 86 degrees Fahrenheit.
The heat wave is expected to begin subsiding across much of Europe by midweek. However, forecasters at Météo-France said that such events are becoming increasingly frequent and severe as a result of climate change.
They warned that by the end of the century, summers in France are likely to see temperatures above 104 degrees annually, with localized highs reaching 122 degrees.
“We should expect 10 times more heat wave days by 2100,” the agency said.
Nazaneen Ghaffar is a Times reporter on the Weather team.
The post Europe Endures Relentless Heat Wave appeared first on New York Times.
