Record Heat Grips Europe as Temperatures Top 40°C, Countries Issue Emergency Alerts
A relentless heatwave swept across Europe on Saturday, shattering temperature records from Scandinavia to the Alps as several countries recorded unprecedented heat and authorities warned of a growing public health emergency.
Temperatures climbed above 40 degrees Celsius in parts of Central Europe, with preliminary all-time records reported in Germany, Denmark and the Czech Republic, while Switzerland registered its hottest June day on record. France and Britain had already broken temperature records earlier this week.
Scientists said the intensity of the heatwave bore the clear fingerprints of human-induced climate change, noting that exceptionally warm nights—one of the deadliest aspects of extreme heat—have become around 100 times more likely than they were just two decades ago.
“This heat isn’t pleasant summer weather. It’s a health crisis,” German Green Party lawmaker Katrin Goering-Eckardt wrote on X.
Records Fall Across Europe
Germany recorded a preliminary all-time high of 41.5°C in Moeckern-Drewitz, surpassing the previous day’s national record of 41.3°C, according to the country’s Meteorological Service.
Denmark registered 37°C near Aarhus, the highest temperature since nationwide records began in 1874, while the Czech Republic recorded 40.9°C north of Prague.
Slovakia also experienced its warmest night on record, with temperatures remaining unusually high even after sunset.
In Berlin, where temperatures approached 39°C, police deployed water cannons to spray residents seeking relief from the blistering heat.
Deaths, Water Shortages and Nuclear Disruptions
Authorities across Europe issued widespread heat warnings as the hot air mass spread eastward, with temperatures exceeding 30°C across most of Poland.
The soaring temperatures also disrupted energy production. Hungary’s Paks nuclear power plant reduced output at one reactor after the Danube warmed significantly, while Switzerland’s Beznau nuclear facility temporarily shut down reactors because the River Aare had become too warm for cooling operations.
France has reported dozens of heat-related deaths, while extreme temperatures disrupted rail services, affected electricity generation, forced schools to suspend classes, prompted alcohol bans at public events and led to the postponement of outdoor activities.
Italy’s Health Ministry placed 18 cities, including Rome, Milan, Florence, Venice and Bologna, under the highest-level red heat alert for the weekend.
The River Po, Italy’s longest river, has also seen dramatically reduced flow, allowing seawater to move further inland and threatening agriculture and fragile ecosystems.
Even the Alps offered little respite. In Bolzano, temperatures never dropped below 25.4°C overnight, setting a June record and raising fresh concerns about accelerated glacier melt.
Transport and Public Events Hit
Fearing damage to infrastructure from the extreme heat, transport operators introduced emergency measures.
German rail operator Deutsche Bahn allowed passengers to cancel long-distance journeys free of charge, while National Express suspended some services in North Rhine-Westphalia as a precaution.
Near Hamburg, one lane of a major motorway was closed after the intense heat caused the asphalt to crack.
Several public events were also modified. Lausanne Pride installed additional water stations and medical teams, while Milan Pride delayed its parade until the evening to avoid the day’s highest temperatures.
Organisers of the Ironman European Championship in Frankfurt also shortened the cycling and running segments to protect athletes.
Storms Expected as Heat Begins to Ease
Meteorologists expect the most intense phase of the heatwave to weaken over the weekend as thunderstorms move across parts of Western Europe.
Paris announced the early closure of parks, gardens and the Canal Saint-Martin swimming area ahead of forecast storms.
Scientists said the prolonged heat was driven by an “Omega block”—a persistent atmospheric pattern that traps hot air over a region for days while preventing cooler weather systems from moving in.
The heatwave has disrupted daily life across the continent, strained healthcare systems, damaged infrastructure and intensified concerns over the growing frequency of extreme weather events linked to climate change.
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