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Great Britain and Germany, meanwhile, prepared for the current peak of the heat wave with new records. In Great Britain, state and private institutions prepared for record temperatures of 40 degrees after the hottest night ever measured. “We’re probably going to see the hottest day on record,” Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said. The government in London has declared a state of emergency due to the heat.
“Our infrastructure, much of which dates back to the Victorian era, is simply not suited to temperatures like this,” Shapps said. The day before, London’s Luton Airport had ceased operations due to overheating of the runway. Train services were thinned out or discontinued because of the risk of track deformation.
Weather service warns in Germany
The German Weather Service also warned of severe heat stress on Tuesday. Temperatures of around 40 degrees are expected in the west in the afternoon. The authority assessed the risk of forest fires as very high due to the high level of drought.
Traffic problems in France
Traffic restrictions are also triggered by the weather in France. The Grand Est region in the east of the country imposed restrictions on motorists because of air pollution caused by the sun and heat. The measures that should take effect from Tuesday 6 a.m. include a speed reduction of 20 kilometers per hour on motorways and dual carriageways.
40 degrees in the Netherlands
In the Netherlands, the weather service expected maximum temperatures of more than 40 degrees on Tuesday. “Code Oranje” applies: This means that people should avoid physical exertion, drink a lot and if possible not go out in the sun. Actually, Europe’s largest hiking event – the “Vierdaagse” from Nijmegen – should start on Tuesday. But the first day of the four-day hiking marathon of more than 50 kilometers a day was canceled due to the high temperatures.
Heat and muggy in Italy
In Italy, Bolzano, Brescia, Florence and Perugia, among others, are affected by hot temperatures and muggy air. In addition, the fire brigades are still on alert and are fighting forest and bush fires nationwide. Civil protection in Sicily announced the highest level of danger for forest fires in some areas on Tuesday.
Partial fires in Spain and Portugal
It also burned in parts of Spain, Portugal and France. According to official estimates, the fires that have been raging for about ten days have destroyed a total of 25,000 hectares of forest and dozens of houses, shops and factories in Spain. But there was good news here: the heat wave that has been gripping Spain since July 9 will end on Tuesday, the local weather service Aemet assured. It is also likely to cool down in some areas in western France.
Pleasant temperatures in Greece
While people in northern, western and central Europe are groaning under the heat wave, comparatively pleasant temperatures of around 30 degrees prevailed in Greece on Tuesday. In the capital Athens, which is plagued by heat waves, the weather agency predicted temperatures of around 29 degrees. For the Greek holiday island of Rhodes, however, the maximum temperature around noon was predicted to be 32 degrees. This “dream weather”, as a meteorologist called it on state radio, is the result of strong winds blowing in and around the Aegean Sea. It should last until next Friday. After that, the thermometer should show values around 40 degrees. But this heat won’t last long. “The heat that prevails in Western Europe will probably not reach us in full force,” added the meteorologist.
Source: Nachrichten
