Barcelona records hottest June and Eiffel Tower's summit closes as Europe sizzles
Health warnings remained in effect in several European countries. The worst was felt in southern Europe while punishing temperatures were forecast to reach 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in Paris and to stay unusually high in Belgium and the Netherlands.
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Global News
41 minutes ago
- Global News
Europe's ‘exceptional' heat wave closes schools, prompts health alerts
Italy limited work outdoors, France shut schools and Turkey battled wildfires on Tuesday in a European heat wave that meteorologists said was 'exceptional' for striking so early this year. Spain confirmed its hottest June on record, while temperatures passed 40 C (104°F) in some of its cities on Tuesday. Likewise, heat scaled to reach 40 C in the Italian city of Trento, while northern European cities such as London were also sweltering. Europe is heating up at twice the global average speed and is the world's fastest-warming continent, the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service has said. 'What is exceptional … but not unprecedented is the time of year,' said World Meteorological Organization spokesperson Clare Nullis. Europe was experiencing extreme heat episodes 'which normally we would see later on in the summer,' she said. Story continues below advertisement Some countries issued health alerts and trade unions attributed the death of a construction worker near the Italian city of Bologna on Monday to the heat. Outdoor work was banned in some Italian regions during the hottest hours of the day as Italy issued heat wave red alerts for 17 cities, including Milan and Rome. 2:15 Climate change causes early heat wave in parts of Europe, increasing wildfire risks Power outages, likely caused or aggravated by spiking electricity consumption from air conditioners, were reported in central Florence and in the northern city of Bergamo. In Sicily, a woman with a heart condition died while walking in the city of Bagheria, news agencies reported. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy In the Spanish city of Barcelona, authorities were looking into whether the death of a street sweeper at the weekend was heat-related. The Red Cross set up an air-conditioned 'climate refuge' for residents in Malaga in southern Spain, said a spokesperson for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. Story continues below advertisement Turkey continued to battle the wildfires that forced the temporary evacuation of around 50,000 people on Monday in areas surrounding the city of Izmir and in the nearby province of Manisa, as well as Hatay in the southeast. In France, nearly 1,900 schools were closed, up from around 200 on Monday. The heat was set to peak in France on Tuesday at 40-41 C in some areas, weather forecaster Meteo France said. Record temperatures bake countries Scientists say greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels are a cause of climate change, with deforestation and industrial practices being other contributing factors. Last year was the planet's hottest on record. 'We keep hearing about climate change. I think we're definitely feeling it now,' said Omar Bah, a rental company worker said in London, where temperatures hit 32 C. Story continues below advertisement The Mediterranean Sea hit a record 30 C off Spain, six degrees above the seasonal average, Spanish weather forecaster AEMET said, as a high pressure system trapped hot air above Europe – a phenomenon known as a heat dome. Nullis said higher temperatures in the Mediterranean Sea tend to reinforce extreme temperatures over land areas. The average temperature in Spain was 23.6 C last month, weather agency AEMET said. Copernicus said June probably ranks among the five warmest on record, Copernicus said. England had its hottest June since at least 1884, the Met Office national weather service said, citing provisional data. A Paris-Milan rail service was disrupted because of a mudslide on the French side of the Alps, with full service not expected to be fully restored until mid-July, French rail operator SNCF said. 1:43 More hot days ahead in Winnipeg The top floor of the Eiffel Tower was closed, disappointing scores of visitors. Story continues below advertisement 'I tried to get all organized before our departure and the result is nonsense,' said Laia Pons, 42, a teacher from Barcelona who booked Eiffel tickets for her family three years ago. When temperatures rise, the puddled iron used to build the Eiffel Tower expands in size and tilts slightly, with no impact on its structural integrity, according to its website. The scorching temperatures have raised the risk of field fires as farmers in France, the European Union's biggest grain producer, start harvesting this year's crop, with many working through the night to avoid peak afternoon temperatures. (Additional reporting by Emma Farge, Michaela Cabrera, Kate Abnett, Gus Trompiz, Rachel More, Sudip Kar-Gupta, Ezgi Erkoyun, William James; Writing by Ingrid Melander and Michele Kambas; Editing by Bernadette Baum and Timothy Heritage)
Toronto Star
2 hours ago
- Toronto Star
Hurricane Flossie could become a major hurricane off the Pacific coast of Mexico
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Hurricane Flossie strengthened to a Category 2 cyclone Tuesday off the Pacific coast of Mexico and could become a major hurricane before weakening later this week, forecasters said. The National Hurricane Center said Flossie had maximum sustained winds at 110 mph (175 kph) and that rain was falling over parts of coastal Mexico. The hurricane was centered 180 miles (285 kilometers) southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico. On Tuesday afternoon, it was on the brink of becoming a Category 3 hurricane.
Winnipeg Free Press
5 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Hurricane Flossie is now a Category 2 off the Pacific coast of Mexico
MIAMI (AP) — Hurricane Flossie strengthened to a Category 2 cyclone Tuesday morning off the Pacific coast of Mexico, forecasters said. The National Hurricane Center said Flossie had maximum sustained winds at 100 mph (155 kph) and that rain was falling over parts of coastal Mexico. The hurricane was centered 150 miles (245 kilometers) southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico. Wednesdays Columnist Jen Zoratti looks at what's next in arts, life and pop culture. Flossie was moving to the northwest at 10 mph (17 kph) and was expected to continue that motion over the next few days. The system should move away from southwestern Mexico by Tuesday night, forecasters said. The hurricane was forecast to continue strengthening and could be a major hurricane as soon as Tuesday night or Wednesday morning. A major hurricane is classified as Category 3 or higher, with maximum sustained winds of at least 111 mph (180 kph).
