Europe to See Weather Relief After Record-Breaking Heatwave

Following several days of baking hot weather over Europe, relief in the guise of cooler conditions is to begin arriving in the continent's west over the Atlantic on Wednesday, affording short-term relief. Latest predictions by national weather forecasting agencies point to temperature falls for countries like France and Germany, while southern parts like Spain and Italy are due to possibly have to wait until the weekend for any noteworthy fall in temperature.

Western Europe has witnessed historic heat levels in the past few days, and all nations have set all-time highs. Tuesday saw Paris temperature at 40°C but will decline steadily to 35°C on Wednesday and to 28°C by Thursday. Meteo-France confirmed the change in weather, which will start to be felt initially in the northwest, with thunderstorms in the eastern part of the country bordering Germany. Also, Frankfurt, which is forecast to reach a peak of 40°C on Wednesday, will fall to 27°C the next day, Germany's national weather service reported.

Portugal and the Netherlands also set their all-time highest temperature on Tuesday, helping what may be one of Europe's top five warmest Junes ever. The European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts stated June 30 as France's hottest day on record since records started in 1947, the first time the old record was broken since 2019.

The heatwave has caused dire consequences in many areas. A total of some 2,200 schools in France were closed on Tuesday because of heat, even though the figure 135 are most likely to stay closed on Wednesday. Forest fires also erupted in Turkey's provinces of Izmir and Hatay at the weekend. Most of the fires were brought under control by Tuesday evening, but hot and dry winds still remain a threat.

Health authorities throughout Europe have been on high warning since exposure to extended durations of strong heat can lead to dehydration, muscle cramps, headaches, nausea and, during extreme weather conditions, heatstroke. The most vulnerable segments are children, the elderly and individuals with previous medical histories. While local governments have made air-conditioned public facilities and swimming pools available, officials are nevertheless warning restraint.

One of the sad examples was northeast Spain, where a two-year-old toddler died after being left in a car exposed to the sun for several hours. The overall health cost of the heatwave will only be clear in the coming weeks. First excess mortality data, France's Ministry of Health points out, will appear two weeks after the event, and full information will be published next autumn.

Aside from health, the heatwave also potentially impacts the European economy. Allianz Trade last Tuesday disclosed that the economic growth in Europe may lose 0.5 percentage points this year because of the disturbance created by the extraordinary climate conditions. Heatwaves can decrease productivity levels, raise energy expenses, and trigger transport and farm disturbances.

Environmental conditions persist in mimicking the impact of increasing global warming. The Mediterranean Sea experienced its all-time June record high last weekend, and Europe's highest peak, Mont Blanc, had temperatures above freezing, an unusual event this time around.

While the impending cooldown will provide temporary respite, the future scenario remains a cause for concern. Increasing global warming and increased instances of extreme weather are now the norm in Europe over the last few decades. The trend would have to continue, again increasing the urgency for increased infrastructure and public health measures to offset future impacts.

It is backed by data from Meteo-France, the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, Germany's national weather service, and AFP.