Europe Swelters Under Second Heat Dome in Two Months
Europe is enduring its second heat dome in two months, with temperatures soaring above 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius), creating dangerous conditions across the fastest-warming continent. France banned public alcohol consumption, Spain closed a World Cup fan zone, and the UK is bracing for a potential all-time June temperature record.
Heat alerts were posted Monday by 26 countries, from Ireland to Greece, as soaring temperatures deliver one of Western Europe’s worst June heat waves on record. The punishing temperatures are the result of a heat dome parked over the continent for the second time in two months. Heat domes are persistent high-pressure systems that act like a lid on a pot, trapping hot air and pushing it downward.
El Niño and Climate Change Amplify Heat
The heat waves come as a strengthening El Niño takes shape in the tropical Pacific. This natural climate pattern is known to increase the frequency and severity of heat extremes worldwide. Scientists say these kinds of heat waves are becoming more severe and more frequent as humans continue to burn fossil fuels and heat the planet.
Extreme heat can quickly become dangerous and even deadly, especially on a continent where very few people have air conditioning. Only about 20% of European homes have AC, compared to around 90% in the United States.
France Faces Record-Breaking Heat
In France, the blistering heat has been unrelenting. More than half of its 96 regions were under red heat wave alerts Sunday, the most severe level. Temperatures reached above 104 degrees Fahrenheit in some parts of the country. The heat was so intense Sunday that the government banned public alcohol drinking at Fête de la musique, an annual music festival that takes place across the country and brings millions onto the streets. The ban applied to regions under red heat wave alerts.
“For all events organized by the state and its agencies, instructions have been given not to offer alcohol,” the Prime Minister’s office said in a statement.
Monday is set to be even hotter, with temperatures rising to more than 107 degrees Fahrenheit (41.7°C) in some places. The government has ordered the closure of more than 800 schools, according to a report in the Associated Press. Monday could be France’s hottest day on record for any month, and there is little chance of respite; temperatures are expected to reach “a very high plateau” until at least Thursday, Météo-France said.
On Monday, at least four locations in France set all-time high temperature records for any month of the year, while other locations broke June records. “This heatwave will be quite comparable in severity to the one in August 2003. It is expected to surpass it in terms of maximum intensity,” Météo France said Monday, referring to a deadly 16-day heat wave that killed nearly 15,000 people.
UK Braces for Record June Heat
Other parts of Europe are also set to endure unprecedented heat. In the United Kingdom, temperatures are forecast to reach at least 102.2 degrees Fahrenheit (39°C) Wednesday, according to the country’s Met Office, which would smash the UK’s all-time heat record for June of 96.08 degrees Fahrenheit (35.6°C), last recorded in 1976. Humidity levels will be high, making the heat even more oppressive.
The Met Office issued a rare “Red Extreme Heat Warning” for Wednesday and Thursday. The country will also endure tropical nights, where temperatures don’t dip below 68 degrees Fahrenheit (20°C). Nighttime heat is particularly pernicious as it gives people little chance to rest and recover.
Spain also took precautions, closing a World Cup fan zone amid the heat. The extreme temperatures are expected to persist across much of Western Europe for several days, with little relief in sight.
