Scorching Heatwave Grips Europe as Temperatures Soar Across the Continent

Southern Europe is sweltering under its first major heatwave of the Northern Hemisphere summer, with temperatures pushing past 100 degrees Fahrenheit across several countries. As climate change continues to drive global temperatures higher, Europe already the fastest-warming continent is again facing dangerous and disruptive heat.

In Rome, temperatures are forecast to reach 99°F (37°C), sending tourists and pilgrims flocking to the city's 2,500 public fountains in search of relief. In Marseille, France, where the mercury is expected to flirt with 104°F (40°C), local authorities have made public swimming pools free of charge to help residents cool down.

Portugal is bracing for extreme conditions as well. On Sunday, two-thirds of the country will be under high alert for both scorching heat and wildfire risk, with Lisbon expecting a sweltering 108°F (42°C). In Venice, the intense heat loomed over the festivities and protests surrounding Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’s wedding on Friday.

“There is no wind, a lot of humidity, we are sweating, and I’m suffocating at night,” said Alejandra Echeverria, a 40-year-old tourist visiting Venice from Mexico. Another local, Sriane Mina, an Italian student, said she avoids standing still in the sun. “That’s when you get sunstroke,” she told AFP.

Scientists continue to link such extreme heatwaves to human-driven climate change, largely fueled by the burning of fossil fuels. Europe has experienced increasingly frequent and intense summer heat over recent years, a trend experts warn will only worsen.

The latest forecasts predict the heatwave will intensify through Sunday. Spain, which has suffered deadly summer wildfires in recent years, is bracing for widespread temperatures above 104°F (40°C), with some areas—such as the Guadalquivir, Guadiana, and Tagus regions potentially reaching 108°F (42°C), according to the Spanish meteorological agency.

This summer follows a string of record-breaking temperatures. The past three years were the hottest in Spain’s recorded history. In Naples and Palermo, Italy, temperatures are expected to hit 102°F (39°C), prompting local governments in Sicily and Liguria to ban outdoor work during the hottest hours of the day. Trade unions are now pushing to expand the measure nationwide.

In Nice, France, nearly 250 electric fans have been distributed to local schools over the past two weeks as part of emergency heat mitigation efforts.

The heatwave comes after Europe experienced its warmest March on record, according to the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service. Globally, extreme weather events ranging from hurricanes and droughts to floods and searing heat are becoming more frequent and severe due to the planet’s warming.

By some estimates, 2024 the hottest year ever recorded has already produced weather-related disasters costing over $300 billion worldwide. Scientists warn that unless greenhouse gas emissions are significantly reduced, summers like this one may soon become the norm rather than the exception.

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Source: NDTV

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