A severe heatwave is affecting southern Europe, leading authorities to issue health and wildfire alerts as temperatures are predicted to rise again.
Countries including France, Italy, Portugal, and Spain have been experiencing extreme heat for several days, with temperatures reaching up to 44 degrees Celsius in some regions.
In southern Spain, temperatures peaked at 46C on Saturday, setting a new record for June, according to the national weather agency.
This new high was recorded in Huelva, close to the Portuguese border, surpassing the previous record of 45.2C, set in 1965 in Seville.
According to the Meteo France weather service, only a small area in the northwest remains unaffected by the heat, which is expected to peak tomorrow and Wednesday.
Children enjoy cooling off under water sprays at a park in Paris.
The first major heatwave of the summer has prompted authorities in Mediterranean countries to advise residents to seek shelter.
Ambulances were stationed near popular tourist areas as experts cautioned that such heatwaves, exacerbated by climate change, are likely to become more frequent.
Firefighters have been put on alert following fires that erupted in France and Turkey yesterday, fueled by the heat and strong winds.
Just last week, Greek firefighters were engaged in battling a forest fire near the coast south of Athens, which resulted in some evacuations.
Spain’s weather service AEMET reported temperatures hitting 44C in Extremadura and Andalusia, located in the southern and southwestern parts of the country.
In Madrid, where temperatures neared 40C, 32-year-old photographer Diego Radames shared with AFPTV: “I feel that the heat we’re experiencing is unusual for this time of year.”
“As the years go by, I sense that Madrid is becoming increasingly hotter, particularly in the city center,” he remarked.
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In Italy, 21 cities nationwide have been placed on high alert for extreme heat, including Milan, Naples, Venice, Florence, Rome, and Catania.
Emergency departments in hospitals across Italy have reported a 10% rise in heatstroke cases, as noted by Mario Guarino, vice president of the Italian Society of Emergency Medicine.
“The majority of cases involve elderly individuals, cancer patients, or the homeless, experiencing dehydration, heat stroke, and fatigue,” he explained.
Parts of southern Portugal, including Lisbon, remain under a red warning until tonight, according to the Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA).
Two-thirds of Portugal is also under high alert for extreme heat and forest fires, as is Sicily, where firefighters managed 15 blazes on Saturday.
Scientists indicate that climate change is contributing to more frequent and intense heatwaves, especially in urban areas where the “urban heat island” effect raises temperatures amidst densely packed buildings.
“Heatwaves in the Mediterranean region have become increasingly common and severe in recent years,” said Emanuela Piervitali, a researcher at the Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA).
“We can anticipate further increases in temperature and heat extremes in the future, so we must prepare for even higher temperatures than we are currently facing,” she added.
People are cooling off in a fountain at the Andre-Citroen park in Paris.
The heat is also attracting invasive species that are thriving in the more tropical conditions.
This week, ISPRA started a campaign encouraging fishermen and tourists to report sightings of four “potentially dangerous” venomous species.
The lionfish, silver-cheeked toadfish, dusky spinefoot, and marbled spinefoot are increasingly being spotted in the waters off southern Italy due to rising Mediterranean temperatures.
In France, experts are warning that the heat is significantly impacting biodiversity.
Irish Weather Channel meteorologist Cathal Nolan attributed the soaring temperatures in Europe to a “heat dome” settling over the continent.
“We refer to it as a heat dome because large areas of high pressure, or anticyclones, act like a lid on a pot, trapping the air underneath. It remains in place for several days, causing temperatures to rise day after day,” he explained.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Today with Claire Byrne, Mr. Nolan stated: “Under these high-pressure systems, the descending air becomes compressed, trapping that very warm air at the surface. This leads to the extreme temperatures we’re observing now.”
He noted that the heat isn’t confined to the Iberian Peninsula; “it’s affecting many parts of France, with temperatures nearing 40C today, and extending into central Europe, the Balkans, and later Greece.”
“Temperatures in these regions will likely reach into the high 30s and, in some cases, the low 40s over today and the next few days,” he added.
