Opening Summary
Europe is preparing for another day of an unprecedented heatwave that has broken records across multiple countries.
Italy’s health ministry has issued a red heatwave alert for 16 cities on Wednesday, including Milan and Rome. In the UK, temperatures are forecast to reach 40°C in some areas.
The extreme weather is caused by atmospheric and circulation patterns that trap hot air in place for several days, causing temperatures to gradually rise. Experts note that these conditions are worsened by global heating.
The UK is preparing for record-breaking temperatures, with schools set to close and authorities advising people to avoid travel. Temperatures could reach 40°C on Wednesday and Thursday in parts of England and Wales. A red weather warning for extreme heat covers an area from London to Swansea and Somerset to Birmingham.
On Tuesday, France confirmed that 40 people have drowned while swimming in unsupervised areas over recent days.
More than 90% of the French population is exposed to extreme heat, according to government data. Temperatures between 39°C and 41°C are expected on Wednesday from Brittany to the Paris region and across much of the south-west.
From Wednesday until at least Friday, central and southern Netherlands will be under a code orange warning for extreme heat. Residents of Amsterdam holding a city pass may swim for free in six outdoor pools, while the national rail company will reduce train services on several routes starting Wednesday due to the heat.
In the coming days, the heatwave is expected to spread into eastern Europe.
Poland’s weather service has issued high-level heat warnings for the western part of the country from Thursday to Saturday, forecasting that temperatures could break records.
Croatia’s popular Adriatic coast is under a red alert for Friday and Saturday.
Hungary, currently under a second-level heat alert, announced it will raise the alert to the maximum level from Saturday to Tuesday as temperatures continue to rise.
