Heatwave claims several victims in southern Europe
Tropical nights have also set in, with minimum temperatures above 25°C along the Mediterranean coast, in Castile and in Andalusia. Twenty Spanish regions remain on orange or yellow alert, from the Basque Country to the Community of Madrid, through Extremadura and Catalonia. Two deaths occurred on Saturday, possibly due to heatstroke – one worker in Cordoba and a municipal employee in Barcelona – reigniting concerns over worker protection during heatwaves. Trade unions called for strict enforcement of preventive measures. In Spain, a decree in force since May 2023 requires employers to adapt schedules and working conditions in the event of extreme heat, to ensure the safety of exposed employees, especially those working outdoors.
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Euronews
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Euronews
2 days ago
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June heatwave pushes Europe into record-breaking territory
As Europe bakes in its first major heatwave of the year, temperature records are being broken across the continent. During June, countries experienced temperatures more typical of July and August, with records broken from the Arctic Circle to the Mediterranean. The Portuguese weather service (IPMA) reported 46.6 °C in Mora on 29 June - the hottest ever recorded in mainland Portugal during June. Norway's Banak station reached 32.5°C, the highest temperature ever recorded within the European Arctic for the month. The extreme heat has brought health warnings, school closures and restrictions on outdoor work. The European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) has said that for the continent as a whole, this month is likely to rank among the top five warmest Junes on record. How long will Europe's heatwave last? Scientists have said that this extended period of above-average temperatures is being caused by a heat dome. This is when a high-pressure area stays over the same place for days or even weeks, trapping the hot air below it. This acts something like a saucepan lid, causing temperatures to become hotter and hotter. Last week, a strong area of high pressure built over Western Europe. It extended up across Spain and Portugal into France, then spread to Germany and Italy over the weekend. After days of record-breaking heat, forecasters say there will be some relief on Wednesday into Thursday as thunderstorms and cooler temperatures arrive from the Atlantic, according to Météo-France. Spain and Italy may have to wait until the weekend to see temperatures begin to drop. France sees its second-hottest June since 1900 In France, temperatures of 40°C were recorded in Paris on Tuesday. The country's national weather agency placed several regions under the highest red alert. 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Burgess also says climate change is making heatwaves more frequent and more intense, and they are now impacting larger geographical areas. Hot spells like this could become more frequent in the UK The UK experienced its hottest day of the year so far on Tuesday with a recorded temperature of 34.7°C in London's St James's Park. Provisional data from the Met Office indicates that the country experienced its second warmest June since 1884. The average temperature for the month reached 15.2°C, only surpassed by June 2023, which saw average temperatures of 15.8°C. It follows a record-breaking spring that was officially the warmest and sunniest on record. June continued that trend, the Met Office said, marked by two heatwaves and high temperatures at the end of the month. 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LeMonde
3 days ago
- LeMonde
Heatwave claims several victims in southern Europe
France is not the only country affected by the heat dome that sent temperatures soaring. The Iberian Peninsula and Italy are also sweltering. In Spain, the heatwave is historic. On Saturday, June 28, the Andalusian city of El Granado, in the south of the country, recorded a temperature of 46°C, an all-time record for the month of June, according to the Spanish meteorological agency AEMET. The previous record, set in 1965 in Seville, was 45.2°C. The heatwave, which was initially expected to end on Tuesday or Wednesday, is now forecast to continue until Thursday, July 3. Temperatures above 36°C are expected across much of the country, exceeding 38°C in the northeast, center and south, particularly in the Guadalquivir and Guadiana valleys. Tropical nights have also set in, with minimum temperatures above 25°C along the Mediterranean coast, in Castile and in Andalusia. Twenty Spanish regions remain on orange or yellow alert, from the Basque Country to the Community of Madrid, through Extremadura and Catalonia. Two deaths occurred on Saturday, possibly due to heatstroke – one worker in Cordoba and a municipal employee in Barcelona – reigniting concerns over worker protection during heatwaves. Trade unions called for strict enforcement of preventive measures. In Spain, a decree in force since May 2023 requires employers to adapt schedules and working conditions in the event of extreme heat, to ensure the safety of exposed employees, especially those working outdoors.
