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The Herald Scotland
4 hours ago
- Climate
- The Herald Scotland
Europe's heat wave creates dangerous conditions, shutters Eiffel Tower
The blistering temperatures caused one of the world's most popular tourist attractions, the Eiffel Tower, to close its top floor, shorten its hours and turn away visitors who don't have advanced tickets. In Belgium, where temperatures reached the high 90s, officials closed the Atomium attraction, a model of an iron molecule built for the 1959 Brussels World's Fair. It is only the second time the model changed hours because of heat. The first was in 2019. Italy, meanwhile, issued heat wave red alerts across 17 cities, including Milan and Rome. Several regions of the Mediterranean country banned outdoor work during the hottest hours of the day. The extreme heat across the western Europe is the result of a heat dome. That's a common summer weather pattern that produces high pressure and acts as a cap, locking heat in underneath, France's weather service said. Parts of Europe set heat records The scorching temperatures come as Spain, Portugal and England recorded their hottest June last month. The average temperature in Spain was 78 degrees Fahrenheit in June. On June 30, it rose to about 100 degrees, according to the country's weather service. Those highs are "exceptional" the World Meteorological Organization said in an online forecast. Europe typically experiences its hottest temperatures of the year in July. The organization cites human-induced climate change as a reason for the extreme heat. More than two thirds of the continent's most severe heatwaves since 1950 have occurred in the last 25 years, according to the World Meteorological Organization. By 2050, it expects "half of the European population may be exposed to high or very high risk of heat stress during summer." The agency said the punishing temperatures could cause severe, potentially life threatening, effects on human health. And many people can't seek shelter from the heat at home: As of 2019, only 20% of households in Europe had air conditioning installed, according to the European Environment Agency. Western US sees scorching temps Parts of the United States are also being gripped by higher-than-normal temperatures. The National Weather Service issued an extreme heat warning for parts of southwest Arizona and southeast California until 8 p.m. on July 1. Afternoon highs could reach between 110 and 115 degrees Fahrenheit in these regions, according to the agency Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Nevada and Utah are all expected to see temperatures around 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The weather service issued heat advisories through the evening of July 2 for much of those states, warning people to take extra precautions when outside. The agency also issued a red flag warning for much of northern California and north-central Nevada, meaning that "critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now, or will shortly." These can include a "combination of strong winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior." "Heat will build over the Intermountain West and the Southwest the next couple of days," the National Weather Service said in an online forecast on June 30. "Lightning from dry thunderstorms can create new fire starts and combined with gusty winds may cause a fire to rapidly grow in Oregon and northern California." Contributing: Doyle Rice, USA TODAY; Reuters
Kuwait Times
5 hours ago
- Climate
- Kuwait Times
Europe swelters in record heatwave
PARIS: Schools were partially shut in France, iconic monuments closed to tourists, and cities across Europe put on high alert as a record-breaking early summer heatwave spread across the continent Tuesday. Withering conditions that have baked southern Europe for days crept northward where such extremes are much rarer, with Paris on 'red alert' and high temperature warnings issued in Belgium, Switzerland and Germany. Tens of thousands of people have died in Europe during past heatwaves, prompting authorities to issue warnings for old and young, the sick, and others vulnerable to what experts call a 'silent killer'. Scientists said it was unusual for such heat to hit Europe this early in the season, but that human-caused climate change from burning fossil fuels was making these once-rare events far more likely. Records have tumbled, with France and Portugal experiencing their highest-ever single-day temperatures in June, Spain its warmest June, and the Netherlands its hottest opening day of July. In England, the weather service said it was the hottest June since records began in 1884. The Mediterranean Sea recorded a new June high of 26.01 degrees Celsius on Sunday, just the latest abnormal marine heatwave in the basin, harming sea life and turbocharging storms. The summit of the Eiffel Tower was shut for a second straight day, and was due to remain closed on Wednesday. On Tuesday in Brussels, the city's Atomium monument, famed for its giant stainless steel balls, was exceptionally shut as temperatures reached 37 degrees Celsius. Under scorching skies, Paris imposed its first 'red alert' in five years, empowering officials to limit or ban sporting events, festivals and school outings for children. The heat is expected to peak on Tuesday, with Paris facing highs of 38C, but authorities have extended the alert into Wednesday. Some parks will remain open all night, pools have extended visiting hours, and cooling centers in churches and museums are offering respite from the lack of greenery and concrete surfaces that amplify the heat. 'We're living a bit like moles,' Nicole, 85, told AFP in the stifling air of her apartment in a tower block in Paris. Across France, the government said it expected nearly 1,350 schools to be partially or completely shut, with teachers complaining that overheated and unventilated classrooms were making students unwell. Authorities are fanning out to check on the elderly, chronically ill and the homeless. 'When it's cold, I add blankets and hats. But when it's hot like this, what can I do? Nothing, just wait for it to pass and hope I don't faint,' said Jo, a 55-year-old homeless man in Bordeaux, in southwestern France. As far north as the Netherlands, some regions were placed on the second-highest alert on Tuesday, with temperatures forecast to reach 38C. Schools in Rotterdam and across West Brabant province adopted 'tropical schedules' to ensure students started and finished earlier to avoid the worst of the day's heat. In Germany, temperatures could peak at 40C on Wednesday. In Spain and Portugal, where highs of 46C were recorded in some locations over the weekend, a level of respite was expected, though temperatures could still exceed 40C in parts. A two-year-old boy died in northeastern Spain on Tuesday after being left in the back of a car parked in the sun, police said. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said its teams of volunteers had mobilized across Europe to give out water and assist the most vulnerable. 'Extreme heat doesn't have to be a disaster: knowledge, preparedness and early action make all the difference,' said IFRC spokesman Tommaso Della Longa. Samantha Burgess, deputy director of the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service, said despite cities taking strides to adapt to heatwaves, this latest episode was still exposing millions of Europeans to danger. 'We're still seeing infrastructure challenges associated with heatwaves, pressure on national healthcare systems, and we still have excess deaths,' she told AFP. A heatwave in 2022 killed an estimated 60,000 people across Europe, mostly elderly. The World Meteorological Organization said Tuesday that heat was a 'silent killer' and the death toll from prolonged, extreme exposure was often under-reflected in official statistics. Spokeswoman Clare Nullis said every death from heat was unnecessary, and society would have to adapt to more heatwaves in future. 'It's something we have to learn to live with,' Nullis said. She added: 'What can we expect in the future? More of the same, even worse.' – AFP
Express Tribune
6 hours ago
- Climate
- Express Tribune
Europe swelters as surprise early summer heatwave spreads
A tourist holding an umbrella to protect himself from the sun walks at Trocadero square next to the Eiffel Tower as an early summer heatwave hits Paris, France. PHOTO: REUTERS Nearly 2,000 schools were shut in France, monuments closed to tourists, and cities across Europe put on high alert as a record-breaking early summer heatwave spread across the continent Tuesday. Withering conditions that have baked southern Europe for days crept northward where such extremes are much rarer, with Paris on "red alert" and warnings issued in Belgium, Switzerland and Germany. Tens of thousands of people have died in Europe during past heatwaves, prompting authorities to issue warnings for old and young, the sick, and others vulnerable to what experts call a "silent killer". On Tuesday, police in Spain said a two-year-old died in the country's northeast after being left in a car in the sun for several hours. The EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) warned that millions of Europeans were exposed to high heat stress, and that temperatures would remain "well above average" across most of the continent in coming days. "This event is unusual because it's extreme, because it's very early on in the summer period, and climate change has almost certainly made it worse than it otherwise would have been," climate scientist and C3S deputy director Samantha Burgess told AFP. Records have already tumbled, with the Netherlands experiencing its hottest opening day of July, France and Portugal their highest-ever single-day temperatures in June, and Spain and England their warmest June months. On Sunday, in a case of two extremes, the Mediterranean Sea hit a new June temperature record while Mont Blanc, the highest peak in Europe, went above freezing, a rarity for this time of year. The summit of the Eiffel Tower was shut for a second straight day while in Brussels the city's Atomium monument -- famed for its giant stainless steel balls -- was exceptionally shut as temperatures reached 37 degrees Celsius (98 degrees Fahrenheit). Under scorching skies, Paris imposed its first "red alert" in five years, empowering officials to limit or ban sporting events, festivals and school outings for children. The heat is expected to peak on Tuesday, with Paris facing highs of 38C, but authorities have extended the alert into Wednesday. "We're living a bit like moles," Nicole, 85, told AFP in the stifling air of her apartment in a tower block in Paris. Some parks will remain open all night, pools have extended visiting hours, and cooling centres in churches and museums are offering respite from the lack of greenery and concrete surfaces that amplify the heat. Nearly 2,000 schools were closed at midday on Tuesday across France, according to the Ministry of Education, with teachers complaining that overheated and unventilated classrooms were making students unwell. Authorities are fanning out to check on the elderly, chronically ill and the homeless. "When it's cold, I add blankets and hats. But when it's hot like this, what can I do?" said Jo, a 55-year-old homeless man in Bordeaux, in southwestern France. As far north as the Netherlands, some regions were on the second-highest alert Tuesday, with temperatures forecast to reach 38C. "I also live in a rooftop apartment, which means it gets insanely hot during the day, and it's unbearable," student Liva Freimane told AFP in The Hague. Schools in Rotterdam and across West Brabant province adopted "tropical schedules" to ensure students started and finished earlier to avoid the worst of the day's heat. In Germany, temperatures could peak at 40C on Wednesday.
Business Times
7 hours ago
- Climate
- Business Times
Europe swelters as surprise early summer heatwave spreads
[PARIS] Nearly 2,000 schools were shut in France, monuments closed to tourists, and cities across Europe put on high alert as a record-breaking early summer heatwave spread across the continent Tuesday. Withering conditions that have baked southern Europe for days crept northward where such extremes are much rarer, with Paris on 'red alert' and warnings issued in Belgium, Switzerland and Germany. Tens of thousands of people have died in Europe during past heatwaves, prompting authorities to issue warnings for old and young, the sick, and others vulnerable to what experts call a 'silent killer'. On Tuesday, police in Spain said a two-year-old died in the country's north-east after being left in a car in the sun for several hours. The EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) warned that millions of Europeans were exposed to high heat stress, and that temperatures would remain 'well above average' across most of the continent in coming days. 'This event is unusual because it's extreme, because it's very early on in the summer period, and climate change has almost certainly made it worse than it otherwise would have been,' climate scientist and C3S deputy director Samantha Burgess told AFP. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Friday, 12.30 pm ESG Insights An exclusive weekly report on the latest environmental, social and governance issues. Sign Up Sign Up Records have already tumbled, with the Netherlands experiencing its hottest opening day of July, France and Portugal their highest-ever single-day temperatures in June, and Spain and England their warmest June months. On Sunday, in a case of two extremes, the Mediterranean Sea hit a new June temperature record while Mont Blanc, the highest peak in Europe, went above freezing, a rarity for this time of year. 'Living like moles' The summit of the Eiffel Tower was shut for a second straight day while in Brussels the city's Atomium monument - famed for its giant stainless steel balls - was exceptionally shut as temperatures reached 37 deg C. Under scorching skies, Paris imposed its first 'red alert' in five years, empowering officials to limit or ban sporting events, festivals and school outings for children. The heat is expected to peak on Tuesday, with Paris facing highs of 38 deg C, but authorities have extended the alert into Wednesday. 'We're living a bit like moles,' Nicole, 85, told AFP in the stifling air of her apartment in a tower block in Paris. Some parks will remain open all night, pools have extended visiting hours, and cooling centres in churches and museums are offering respite from the lack of greenery and concrete surfaces that amplify the heat. Nearly 2,000 schools were closed at midday on Tuesday across France, according to the Ministry of Education, with teachers complaining that overheated and unventilated classrooms were making students unwell. Authorities are fanning out to check on the elderly, chronically ill and the homeless. 'When it's cold, I add blankets and hats. But when it's hot like this, what can I do?' said Jo, a 55-year-old homeless man in Bordeaux, in southwestern France. 'Unbearable' As far north as the Netherlands, some regions were on the second-highest alert Tuesday, with temperatures forecast to reach 38 deg C. 'I also live in a rooftop apartment, which means it gets insanely hot during the day, and it's unbearable,' student Liva Freimane told AFP in The Hague. Schools in Rotterdam and across West Brabant province adopted 'tropical schedules' to ensure students started and finished earlier to avoid the worst of the day's heat. In Germany, temperatures could peak at 40 deg C on Wednesday. In Spain and Portugal, where highs of 46 deg C were recorded in some locations over the weekend, a level of respite was expected, though temperatures could still exceed 40 deg C in parts. 'Extreme heat doesn't have to be a disaster: knowledge, preparedness and early action make all the difference,' said Tommaso Della Longa from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), whose volunteers were fanning out across Europe. Burgess said European cities were adapting 'but not quick enough or extensive enough'. 'We're still seeing infrastructure challenges associated with heatwaves, pressure on national healthcare systems, and we still have excess deaths,' she said. Heat kills more people than hurricanes, floods, wildfires or any other climate-related extreme weather. A heatwave in 2022 killed an estimated 60,000 people across Europe, mostly elderly. The death toll from this 'silent killer' was under-reflected in official statistics, the World Meteorological Organization said on Tuesday. Spokeswoman Clare Nullis said society would have to adapt a harsher, hotter future. 'What can we expect in the future? More of the same, even worse,' Nullis said. AFP
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Europe swelters as surprise early summer heatwave spreads
Nearly 2,000 schools were shut in France, monuments closed to tourists, and cities across Europe put on high alert as a record-breaking early summer heatwave spread across the continent Tuesday. Withering conditions that have baked southern Europe for days crept northward where such extremes are much rarer, with Paris on "red alert" and warnings issued in Belgium, Switzerland and Germany. Tens of thousands of people have died in Europe during past heatwaves, prompting authorities to issue warnings for old and young, the sick, and others vulnerable to what experts call a "silent killer". On Tuesday, police in Spain said a two-year-old died in the country's northeast after being left in a car in the sun for several hours. The EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) warned that millions of Europeans were exposed to high heat stress, and that temperatures would remain "well above average" across most of the continent in coming days. "This event is unusual because it's extreme, because it's very early on in the summer period, and climate change has almost certainly made it worse than it otherwise would have been," climate scientist and C3S deputy director Samantha Burgess told AFP. Records have already tumbled, with the Netherlands experiencing its hottest opening day of July, France and Portugal their highest-ever single-day temperatures in June, and Spain and England their warmest June months. On Sunday, in a case of two extremes, the Mediterranean Sea hit a new June temperature record while Mont Blanc, the highest peak in Europe, went above freezing, a rarity for this time of year. - 'Living like moles' - The summit of the Eiffel Tower was shut for a second straight day while in Brussels the city's Atomium monument -- famed for its giant stainless steel balls -- was exceptionally shut as temperatures reached 37 degrees Celsius (98 degrees Fahrenheit). Under scorching skies, Paris imposed its first "red alert" in five years, empowering officials to limit or ban sporting events, festivals and school outings for children. The heat is expected to peak on Tuesday, with Paris facing highs of 38C, but authorities have extended the alert into Wednesday. "We're living a bit like moles," Nicole, 85, told AFP in the stifling air of her apartment in a tower block in Paris. Some parks will remain open all night, pools have extended visiting hours, and cooling centres in churches and museums are offering respite from the lack of greenery and concrete surfaces that amplify the heat. Nearly 2,000 schools were closed at midday on Tuesday across France, according to the Ministry of Education, with teachers complaining that overheated and unventilated classrooms were making students unwell. Authorities are fanning out to check on the elderly, chronically ill and the homeless. "When it's cold, I add blankets and hats. But when it's hot like this, what can I do?" said Jo, a 55-year-old homeless man in Bordeaux, in southwestern France. - 'Unbearable' - As far north as the Netherlands, some regions were on the second-highest alert Tuesday, with temperatures forecast to reach 38C. "I also live in a rooftop apartment, which means it gets insanely hot during the day, and it's unbearable," student Liva Freimane told AFP in The Hague. Schools in Rotterdam and across West Brabant province adopted "tropical schedules" to ensure students started and finished earlier to avoid the worst of the day's heat. In Germany, temperatures could peak at 40C on Wednesday. In Spain and Portugal, where highs of 46C were recorded in some locations over the weekend, a level of respite was expected, though temperatures could still exceed 40C in parts. "Extreme heat doesn't have to be a disaster: knowledge, preparedness and early action make all the difference," said Tommaso Della Longa from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), whose volunteers were fanning out across Europe. Burgess said European cities were adapting "but not quick enough or extensive enough". "We're still seeing infrastructure challenges associated with heatwaves, pressure on national healthcare systems, and we still have excess deaths," she said. Heat kills more people than hurricanes, floods, wildfires or any other climate-related extreme weather. A heatwave in 2022 killed an estimated 60,000 people across Europe, mostly elderly. The death toll from this "silent killer" was under-reflected in official statistics, the World Meteorological Organization said Tuesday. Spokeswoman Clare Nullis said society would have to adapt a harsher, hotter future. "What can we expect in the future? More of the same, even worse," Nullis said. burs-np-bl/phz
