Large portions of Western Europe remained under an intense early-summer heat dome on Thursday, with officials urging residents to take precautions after several days of record or near-record temperatures that have coincided with dozens of deaths, outages and closures.
Paris endured another day of stifling heat after the capital hit a June high of 40.9 degrees Celsius (105.6 degrees Fahrenheit) on Wednesday. Britain registered its highest June reading on the same day, with 36.1 C recorded in southern England, as the meteorological pattern persisted across the region.
Local authorities moved to caution people against maintaining normal outdoor routines. "The profile of people currently facing health risks is not necessarily what one might expect - that is, the most vulnerable, because they are closely monitored and well informed," said Emmanuel Gregoire, the mayor of Paris, on broadcaster TF1. "Rather, it’s people aged between 50 and 70 who are generally in good health, but who think this is just a normal period and continue going about their usual activities as if nothing has changed. Really, protect yourselves."
Fatalities and emergency responses
Authorities in France reported that at least 48 people have drowned since the start of the heatwave while attempting to cool off. In addition, two young children died from heat inside a car, according to official accounts. Those figures underline the acute risks associated with informal attempts to escape the heat.
Italy also recorded heat-related deaths. Health Minister Orazio Schillaci convened a meeting after media reports indicated five fatalities on Wednesday: two farmers in the northern provinces of Lodi and Piacenza, a man at a cemetery in Pavia, a worker in Padua, and a homeless man in Naples.
Public health measures and cooling infrastructure
France has maintained and refined a suite of measures introduced after the 2003 heatwave, which caused nearly 15,000 excess deaths. Measures include more systematic welfare checks on elderly residents and arrangements for retirement home residents to spend several hours a day in air-conditioned rooms.
Across Europe, however, air conditioning remains relatively uncommon. That is changing amid the current surge in temperatures: Asian appliance manufacturers such as South Korea’s Samsung Electronics, China’s Midea and Japan’s Mitsubishi Electric are reporting strong sales as demand rises in countries including France, Spain and Italy.
Meteorology and forecasts
Meteorologists attribute the extreme conditions to an Omega block, a weather pattern that traps heat beneath a bulbous high-pressure ridge - a configuration that resembles the Greek letter Omega. The Reuters Climate Monitor noted the pattern is pushing temperatures as much as 18 C above normal and can confine hot conditions over regions for extended periods while leaving cooler weather at the edges.
France’s weather agency indicated signs the heatwave could begin to ease, with temperatures expected to taper off gradually on Friday. Nevertheless, forecasters expected particularly intense heat to persist over parts of Germany, Austria and Italy through the weekend.
Transport, utilities and regional outlook
Germany’s National Meteorological Service issued extreme heat warnings for large swathes of western Germany, with forecasts calling for highs around 38 C on Thursday and climbing to 41 C on Friday and Saturday. In response to the conditions, national rail operator Deutsche Bahn allowed customers to cancel journeys because of the heat.
Austria’s weather service issued a red heat warning for the northeast, including Vienna, where temperatures could approach a record 40 C over the weekend. Italy was likewise expected to experience its hottest conditions between Saturday and Monday, with temperatures forecast to reach up to 40 C, notably across the northern plains and inland central areas.
Officials across the affected countries have closed schools and cultural venues in some locations and warned of power supply pressures alongside health risks as residents seek relief. The combination of elevated electricity demand for cooling and strain on transport and emergency services is a central part of the unfolding situation.
As the region moves into what forecasters describe as a torrid spell for parts of Central and Western Europe, authorities continue to press the public to adapt their behaviour for the immediate risk period and to use available cooling resources wisely.