Southern Europe Faces Early Heatwave with Extreme Temperatures

Southern Europe is set to endure a scorching heatwave with temperatures soaring beyond 40C in several regions, prompting health warnings and emergency preparations across multiple countries.

Emergency services are mobilizing across Southern Europe as an intense heatwave grips the region, with forecasts indicating that temperatures will surpass 40C over the weekend. Countries like Italy, Greece, France, Spain, and Portugal are particularly affected, with Seville, Spain expected to reach a staggering 42C. This unusually high heat is attributed to hot air moving from North Africa, spreading across the Balkans and hitting popular holiday areas like Croatia.

According to BBC Weather, this heatwave is atypically severe for this time of year, as such extreme temperatures are generally seen in July and early August. In Spain, where the impact of the heat could lead to an increase in heatstroke cases, emergency services have been placed on alert, especially for vulnerable populations, including children, the elderly, and those with preexisting health conditions.

In Italy, health advisories are in effect for major cities such as Rome, Milan, and Venice, coinciding with the high-profile wedding of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. Residents have been urged to remain indoors during peak heat hours from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM local time to avoid heat-related illnesses.

Meanwhile, France has already been enduring a prolonged heatwave for over a week, prompting the issuance of orange heat alerts for southern regions. Free access to municipal swimming pools has been arranged in Marseille to help residents cope with the extreme temperatures.

The heatwave has also resulted in yellow and amber weather alerts in parts of England this weekend, with temperatures anticipated to reach as high as 32C. The extreme weather could persist until Tuesday evening, as wildfires have already devastated areas, particularly in Greece, where coastal towns near Athens have seen evacuations due to fires.

While attributing individual extreme weather incidents to climate change can be complex, researchers at World Weather Attribution have indicated that heatwaves, like the current one, have become more frequent and intense, with June events being approximately ten times more likely than they were in pre-industrial times.