Intense heatwave conditions that have sweltered the UK, France, and Spain for several days are now shifting eastward, with meteorologists in Germany and the Czech Republic issuing warnings for extreme weather. In Germany, temperatures are projected to reach 40C across western and south-western regions by Thursday and across the country on Friday. Similarly, the Czech Republic is currently under an extreme weather advisory.
French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has elevated the national health alert to its highest level to bolster hospital staffing and ensure the protection of vulnerable populations. Health Minister Stéphanie Rist noted that the extreme temperatures are now claiming lives among both the elderly and young people experiencing cardiac arrests. UN climate chief Simon Stiell attributed the severe heat to the climate crisis, urging for an accelerated transition to renewable energy and stronger environmental resilience measures.
Records continue to fall in France, which recorded its hottest day for two consecutive days. On Wednesday night, average minimum temperatures reached 22C, while Nantes experienced 27.2C. Health officials reported that ambulance services in Paris have handled four times the usual number of cardiac arrests over 24 hours. Paris Deputy Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire warned against complacency, specifically cautioning the youth to avoid physical exercise during the heatwave. Tragedies have been reported, including the discovery of a three-year-old in a car in the Paris region, following similar incidents in Carpentras.
In Rennes, Professor Louis Soulas reported that the city’s intensive care units are saturated, linking the deaths of several people in their homes to the extreme heat. Rennes recorded a peak of 41C on Tuesday, surpassing the previous record from 2022. As the Orsan health emergency plan moves to level three, French teachers’ unions have called for a strike, citing dangerous working conditions. Additionally, three nuclear power plants in France have been taken offline due to the rising temperatures.
France is also bracing for severe thunderstorms on the Atlantic coast, with gusts reaching 110km/h, leading to the cancellation of the first day of the Garorock festival. Climate experts at the Copernicus service note that Europe is warming twice as fast as the global average, which is increasing the frequency of summer heatwaves and wildfires. Last year, a record one million hectares burned across the continent.
Spain, while seeing a slight reprieve with cooler Atlantic air, recorded temperatures as high as 45.1C in Andújar earlier this week. The Spanish MoMo monitoring system reported 213 potential heat-related fatalities between Sunday and Wednesday. Meanwhile, Germany’s Bad Bergzabern reached 26.2C overnight, and Luxembourg set a June record of 38.3C in Wormeldingen. Transportation disruptions are emerging, with train operators in Germany and the Czech Republic advising potential travel delays. Across Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Austria, extreme heat alerts have been implemented as temperatures prepare to climb further over the weekend. In Italy, the Uffizi museum in Florence has restricted entry due to the inability of its air conditioning system to manage the extreme indoor temperatures.
