From Italy To Spain, Health Alert Issued In Several European Countries As Heatwave Breaks Records

Slow days, lazy evenings, and exploring the culture and cuisine of the region under golden skies–European summer used to be all this and more. Now, however, instead of savouring gelatos, people are gulping them down to stay cool and instead of spending afternoons exploring cobbled streets, people are choosing to stay indoors because of the dangerous heatwave that has gripped Europe this summer. Extreme heatwaves have swept across the continent, pushing temperatures well beyond seasonal norms and triggering widespread health alerts.

Europe Swelters Under Record Heatwave

According to Moneycontrol, temperatures rose past 40°C across several countries in Europe over the weekend due to an early-summer heatwave. In Spain, a new heat record for June was set on Saturday when the mercury rose to 46°C in the town of El Granado. Reportedly, the previous high of 45.2°C was observed in Seville in 1965.

Besides Spain, France, Portugal, Italy and Greece are experiencing the most severe conditions caused by early summer. In Portugal, temperatures also soared to 45°C over the weekend in Alvega. The Portuguese meteorological department has issued warnings that the heatwave will continue to affect the country this week as well.

Over the last week, France also endured a heat wave. According to Météo-France, the French weather department, this was France’s fiftieth heatwave since 1947.

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Health Alerts Issued Across Several Countries

Extreme heatwaves across Europe have forced local authorities to issue health warnings. According to the BBC, red heat warnings have been put in place in parts of Portugal, Italy and Croatia, with numerous amber warnings covering areas of Spain, France, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Hungary, Serbia, Slovenia and Switzerland.

Authorities have urged caution and warnings of extreme heat, dry conditions, and strong winds that threaten wildfires. Meteorologists have also warned that Europe can expect more and hotter heatwaves in the future because of climate change.

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We hope that the temperatures come back to normal in Europe and the heatwave conditions end soon. If you’re planning a summer vacation in Europe, we urge you to check weather forecasts and updates to plan your trip well.

Cover Image Courtesy: Canva Pro/AlesVeluscek