Europe's heatwave moves east as France raises health alert to highest level
After days of scorching temperatures in Spain, France and the UK, the heatwave is shifting to Germany and the Czech Republic. France has raised its health alert to the highest level, boosting hospital staffing and protecting vulnerable populations.
The intense heatwave that has been affecting Spain, France and the UK for several days is now moving eastward, with forecasters in Germany and the Czech Republic warning of extreme conditions. Temperatures in Germany could reach 40°C in some western and south-western areas on Thursday, spreading across the country on Friday. An extreme weather warning is now in place across much of the Czech Republic.
French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced that the health alert level is being raised to its highest, to boost hospital staffing and protect the vulnerable. Health Minister Stéphanie Rist said they are now seeing deaths among young people linked to the extreme heat, in addition to the elderly.
United Nations climate chief Simon Stiell stated that "Europe's savage heatwave has the fingerprints of the climate crisis all over it" and called for a faster transition to renewables, protecting forests and boosting climate resilience.
France recorded its hottest day on Wednesday for the second consecutive day. The average minimum temperature reached 22°C overnight, with Nantes seeing 27.2°C. Some western regions are bracing for huge thunderstorms from Thursday afternoon, with gusts up to 110 km/h. The first day of the Garorock festival in Lot-et-Garonne has been cancelled, where temperatures could hit 42°C.
Climate change is driving up temperatures globally, but particularly in Europe, which is the fastest-warming continent, heating up twice as fast as the global average according to the Copernicus climate service. This leads to increased summer heatwaves, greater pressure on water supplies, and more intense wildfires. Last year, over 1 million hectares burned across Europe – a record – with Spain particularly affected.
In Spain, temperatures are set to peak at 38-39°C in some areas on Thursday, but forecasters say cooler Atlantic air is coming. The highest June temperature was recorded earlier this week: 45.1°C in Andújar on Monday.
In Germany, overnight temperatures in Bad Bergzabern did not fall below 26.2°C on Wednesday night, equalling a national record set in 2019. Germany's DWD weather service said large areas were experiencing "heat stress". Luxembourg recorded its highest June temperature of 38.3°C in Wormeldingen on Wednesday, and a red alert for "extreme thermal stress" has been extended until Saturday night.
Germany's national train operator Deutsche Bahn is offering free ticket cancellations for those who do not wish to travel due to the heat, while Czech Railways have advised passengers to consider postponing trips if not necessary. In the Czech Republic, temperatures were well into the 30s on Thursday, and the CHMU Hydrometeorological Institute said the heat would intensify on Friday, possibly reaching 40°C over the weekend.
The UK Met Office extended its red extreme temperatures warning until Friday evening for parts of London and south-eastern England. In Italy, the Uffizi museum in Florence has halted ticket sales until 28 June, only allowing those with prior bookings, as the air conditioning system could not cope with the high visitor flow and extreme heat, which reached 32°C inside on Wednesday. Italians have experienced high temperatures since early this week, but the peak is expected on Monday, with 40°C forecast in various northern regions and night-time temperatures possibly not dropping below 29°C.
