Germany and Italy endured sweltering conditions on Saturday as a lethal heatwave, linked to dozens of deaths in Western Europe, spread eastwards after temperatures broke records above 40°C.
Denmark registered its highest temperature on record on Saturday, with the Danish meteorological institute reporting 36.6°C north of Odense, the warmest day since measurements began in 1874.
Slovakia confirmed its warmest night on record on Friday, with temperatures remaining above 26.3°C. Meanwhile, a German record of 41.3°C was reached near Saarbrücken on Friday, according to preliminary readings from the national meteorological service.
Rising death toll
The extreme weather has proven fatal across the continent. In the United Kingdom, four people, a teenager, two men, and a woman, drowned on Saturday after getting into difficulty in open water.
This brings the total number of drownings during the current heatwave to six, following 15 water-related deaths during a heatwave in May, reports Guardian. In France, dozens of people have died, and the prime minister’s office warned that pressure on the healthcare system and high hospital admissions would persist for several days.
Widespread disruption
Italy’s health ministry issued a red alert for 18 cities, including Rome, Milan, Venice, and Florence, with temperatures expected to reach 39°C. The heat forced the delay of the Milan pride march and the shortening of the Ironman European championship courses in Frankfurt.
In Germany, authorities issued extreme heat warnings for nearly the entire country, with local highs of 42°C possible. Infrastructure has struggled under strain; a section of the A7 autobahn near Hamburg was closed after the asphalt split. The national rail operator, Deutsche Bahn, offered customers free cancellations for long-distance travel due to the risk of buckled tracks and damaged overhead wires.
‘Omega block’
Scientists stated the heatwave would have been “virtually impossible” without the human-made climate crisis, noting that current night-time temperatures are 100 times more likely than they were two decades ago.
The Reuters climate monitor reported temperatures up to 18°C above seasonal averages, driven by a phenomenon known as an “omega block,” where hot air is trapped over regions for extended periods.
As wildfires increase in France and farming suffers across the region, officials are urging conservation. André Berghegger, chief executive of the German Association of Towns and Municipalities, told the Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung that the public must use water sparingly.
While demand for electric fans and air-conditioning has surged, most housing in Northern Europe remains ill-equipped for such extremes, having been built to retain heat. The most extreme heat is expected to fade following heavy thunderstorms forecast for Sunday.
