France recorded its hottest night since measurements began in 1947, and more than half the country was placed under its highest heat alert on Tuesday as a sprawling heat wave gripped much of Europe and prompted emergency preparations in Poland.
Red alerts covered 54 of France's 96 continental departments — the largest area ever placed under the country's top weather warning. The Eiffel Tower closed to visitors Tuesday afternoon, and the Louvre announced it would close early each day through Saturday.
Spain's meteorological agency issued red alerts for temperatures reaching 44 degrees Celsius in Andalusia, with 40-degree readings expected in Cantabria and the Basque Country.
In Britain, where London temperatures exceeded 30 degrees, the national rail operator urged passengers to travel on Wednesday and Thursday "only if absolutely necessary" after widespread cancellations.
The Met Office issued red warnings for extreme heat on both days, forecasting at least 39 degrees Celsius at the peak of the wave.
Speaking at London Climate Action Week, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said: "London is boiling. The climate crisis is pushing us ever deeper into higher temperatures and ever closer to catastrophic tipping points, and the energy crisis exposes the madness of a world addicted to hydrocarbons."
The heat wave is driven by an omega weather pattern — named for the Greek letter whose shape mirrors the pressure system — in which a warm high-pressure system becomes trapped between two cooler low-pressure zones, blocking fronts from moving west to east and suppressing cloud formation.
Such patterns typically last three to 10 days but can persist for weeks.
France's Meteo France said the current conditions are comparable to the August 2003 heat wave, which lasted 16 days and caused around 80,000 deaths across Europe.
Italy placed 15 cities under its highest heat alert on Tuesday, with the number set to rise to 17 by Thursday, affecting historic centers including Rome, Bologna, Florence and Venice.
Germany is bracing for temperatures that could surpass its June record of 39.6 degrees Celsius, set in 2019.
In Sweden, a drought-stricken south is facing water shortages, and authorities in Visby on Gotland reduced water pressure and closed public drinking fountains ahead of a major political gathering drawing tens of thousands of visitors.
In Poland, Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński convened an emergency interministerial meeting following forecasts from the national meteorological institute IMGW predicting temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius in major cities, with some areas potentially reaching 43 degrees.
The hottest conditions are expected on Sunday, when the heat wave is forecast to spread across nearly the entire country.
Each ministry was directed to take immediate action within its area of responsibility. Fire services and police were placed on heightened alert for fire risk and water safety incidents.
The health ministry began monitoring for heatstroke and dehydration, with particular attention to the elderly and children, and the foreign ministry was tasked with assisting Poles abroad, especially in France and the United States.
Health authorities urged people to avoid going outside between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m., wear light clothing and sunscreen, bathe children in lukewarm rather than cold water, and avoid stepping directly from air-conditioned spaces into the heat to prevent thermal shock.
Officials also warned that high temperatures increase the risk of salmonella contamination.
Officials said procedures used by other countries to manage heat waves would be reviewed within 24 hours, with working groups examining additional preventive measures and public communication strategies.
Extreme heat is also moving toward the southwestern United States, where temperatures are forecast to exceed 38 degrees Celsius—well above the seasonal average of around 27 degrees for Los Angeles.
More than 10 million people had been placed under dangerous weather warnings by Thursday, including fans attending the World Cup.
(jh/gs)
Source: PAP