A severe heatwave is gripping Southern Europe, with temperatures expected to soar above 40C in some areas over the weekend. Countries affected include Italy, Greece, France, Spain, and Portugal, with Seville forecast to hit a scorching 42C on Sunday.
The hot air from North Africa is spreading across the Balkans to popular holiday destinations like Croatia, contributing to the extreme temperatures.
The heatwave is “very intense” for this time of year, typically experienced in July and early August. Emergency staff in Spain have been placed on standby to deal with heatstroke cases, particularly among vulnerable individuals such as children, the elderly, and those with chronic illnesses.
“It always gets super hot in Madrid, what surprises me is how early it’s happening – we’re still in June,” said Marina, 22, in the Spanish capital. Janeth, 47, added, “This year is extreme. Last year, at least you could go out at this hour, but now? No way. It’s intense, and people are drinking more water.”
Italian authorities are advising residents in cities like Rome, Milan, and Venice to stay indoors between 11:00 and 18:00 local time. Venice, currently hosting the wedding of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and TV presenter Lauren Sanchez, is experiencing sweltering conditions. “There is no wind, a lot of humidity, we are sweating, and I’m suffocating at night,” said Alejandra Echeverria, a 40-year-old Mexican tourist in Venice.
France has been experiencing a heatwave for over a week, with orange heat alerts issued for southern regions. Municipal swimming pools in Marseille are being opened free of charge until the end of the heatwave.
Yellow and amber alerts are also in place for parts of England, with temperatures in London potentially reaching 35C on Monday. The heatwave is forecast to last until Tuesday evening.
Wildfires have already struck parts of Europe, including Greece, where coastal towns near Athens have been affected, forcing evacuations.
While linking individual extreme weather events to climate change is challenging, heatwaves are becoming more common and intense due to climate change.
Scientists at World Weather Attribution say June heatwaves with three consecutive days above 28C are about 10 times more likely to occur now compared to pre-industrial times.