Germany hit by record temperatures as European heatwave moves east
By Thomas Seythal and Francesca Landini
BERLIN/MILAN, June 27 (Reuters) – Germany and Italy endured sweltering conditions on Saturday as a heat wave linked to dozens of deaths in Western Europe spread eastwards after temperatures hit record highs above 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit).
Britain, France, Switzerland and Germany experienced record temperatures in June, and the weather system could test more records as it moves through Germany towards Poland.
Without man-made climate change, a heat wave would be nearly impossible, scientists said; This made this week’s nighttime temperatures 100 times more likely to occur than they were two decades ago.
A spokesperson for the German National Meteorological Service stated that a new German record of 41.3 degrees was reached on Friday near the city of Saarbruecken, close to the French border, and stated that the measurements were still in the preliminary stage.
PEOPLE ARE CALLED TO SAVE WATER
The service issued extreme heat warnings for nearly all of Germany on Saturday, as authorities urged people to save water.
It was stated that the temperature across the country is expected to be 36 C, while the local highest temperature may be 42 C.
Dozens of people, young and old, died due to a heat wave in France. Temperatures above 40C disrupted rail travel and energy production, triggered alcohol bans, suspended schools and postponed outdoor events.
“The heat wave will peak above 40 degrees in some parts of Germany over the weekend,” said meteorologist Karsten Brandt from weather forecasting site Donnerwetter.de.
The cycling and running courses of the Ironman European Championships long-distance triathlon in Frankfurt on Sunday have been shortened due to the heat, organizers said.
Italy’s health ministry issued a red alert due to a heat wave in 18 Italian cities on Saturday and Sunday, including Milan, Rome, Turin, Venice, Genoa, Florence and Bologna; Temperatures are expected to rise up to 39 C in some areas.
Italian singer Loredana Berte said she canceled a concert planned for Sunday in the northern city of Bergamo due to the heat, on the advice of her management and medical staff.
Berte, who was married to Swedish tennis star Björn Borg in the early 1990s, wrote to X: “Performing under these conditions poses a real risk to my health.”
FREE CANCELLATIONS TO REDUCE RAIL TRAVEL
Battling the possibility of damage to infrastructure, including buckling roads and bulging train tracks, some major utility providers are looking for ways to reduce traffic.
German national rail operator Deutsche Bahn has given customers the option to cancel long-haul travel bookings free of charge until the beginning of next week due to the heatwave.
The firm said its infrastructure was particularly under pressure due to exposure to sunlight and additional risk to signals, rails and overhead cables from storms and wildfires.
Another operator, National Express, said on Saturday afternoon in Germany’s most populous state of North Rhine-Westphalia that it would suspend trains on the Rhine-Ruhr-Express line as a preventive measure in case of an unplanned stoppage of services.
Andre Berghegger, CEO of the Association of German Cities and Municipalities, called on the public to use water economically due to the heat wave.
“We must rely on voluntary cooperation for as long as possible; local authorities should only impose a ban if this does not work,” he told the Neue Osnabruecker Zeitung newspaper.
RECORD THE TEMPERATURES RECORDED WITH THE ‘OMEGA BLOCK’ PHENOMENON
The extreme heat is expected to begin to subside over the weekend, with severe thunderstorms expected on Sunday.
Cultural buildings across Europe were forced to close, farming suffered and some hospitals struggled to cope.
The heatwave pushed temperatures 18 degrees above the seasonal average, according to the Reuters Climate Monitor, and is driven by a phenomenon known as the Omega block.
This weather pattern traps a bulging ball of warm air over regions for extended periods of time, with cooler air around its edges.
Demand for electric fans has increased, and Asian air conditioner manufacturers report booming sales in Europe.
Most of the housing stock in Northern Europe is not built to withstand heat, but to keep it in.
The World Meteorological Organization said that the current heat wave will begin to change towards the end of the month and will hit Central Europe and the Balkans.
(Reporting by Thomas Seythal, Francesca Landini, Reuters Bureau; Writing by Dave Graham; Editing by Cynthia Osterman, Jan Harvey and Andrew Heavens)
