Weather tracker: Heatwave breaks June temperature records across Europe | Extreme heat
Last week’s heatwave in Western Europe shattered national June records and set all-time highs.
The UK recorded an interim highest temperature of 37.7C at Lingwood in Norfolk on Friday 27 June, breaking the previous June record of 35.6C set in 1976. Such a margin is extremely rare: temperature records are usually broken by 0.1C or 0.2C, not a remarkable 2.1C.
Germany broke its all-time record for the third day in a row, reaching 41.7C in Coschen on June 28. The Netherlands set a new June record with 39.4C on 26 June, while Hungary recorded an all-time high temperature of 42C in Szécsény on 30 June.
As well as extreme daytime temperatures, much of Europe experienced widespread tropical nights where night temperatures did not fall below 20C. The highest minimum temperature recorded during this period was 29.4 degrees in East Saxony, Germany. France also endured temperatures above 40C for several days, forcing some nuclear power plants to shut down.
This week, northwestern China is experiencing similar hot conditions. While temperatures reached 45 degrees on Monday and 47 degrees on Tuesday, the heat wave is expected to continue until July 7. Extreme heat warnings have been issued in Yuli and Ruoqiang regions, where temperatures are expected to exceed 45 degrees throughout the week. Temperatures in Ruoqiang, Qiemo, Korla, Luntai and parts of the Yanqi Basin are expected to reach 40C.
The heat wave is driven by a persistent high pressure system that pulls warm, dry air over the continent, blocking out cooler air masses. In such an arid region, the lack of soil moisture limits evaporative cooling, causing the soil and air to warm even faster.
Authorities urged residents and businesses to avoid outdoor manual work during the hottest hours of the day, protect the elderly and vulnerable people and take extra precautions against wildfires.
Road surface temperatures are predicted to exceed 60°C, increasing the risk of asphalt deformation and highway disruption. Such temperatures increase the likelihood of malfunction and cargo spoilage. Railways have also introduced speed restrictions due to high rail temperatures.
