The heat wave continues across southern Europe on Saturday, with an increased risk of wildfires, and the phenomenon is expected to be even more intense in Italy, Spain and Portugal on Sunday.
In France, temperatures will reach 35°C in at least two-thirds of the country on Sunday and Monday, with "very unpleasant" nights during which the mercury will not fall below 20°C, a forecaster for Météo-France said. The phenomenon hit the south of the country for the second consecutive day on Saturday, then spread northwards, bringing with it an increased risk of fires. It is expected to last at least until Tuesday. Météo-France predicts that temperatures will reach between 34 and 38°C on Saturday afternoon in the departments where the orange alert has been issued, and "at times close to 40°C" on the coast.
The cause of the new heat peak in France is the so-called "heat dome" - a large, powerful high-pressure system that forms a kind of lid over a certain area, which blocks the circulation of air in the lower layers, preventing the "entry" of weather disturbances and at the same time gradually warming the air. The city authorities of the southern city of Marseille have informed citizens that entry to all city swimming pools will be free and have published a map of public places with air conditioning.
In the past two weeks, almost 250 portable ventilators have been delivered to schools in Nice, and a distribution of ventilators to elderly people living alone has also been organized.
In Italy, a red heat wave warning was issued for 17 cities on Saturday, including cities in the north such as Milan, Bologna and Turin. In the south, especially in Naples and Palermo, temperatures up to 39°C are expected.
A heatwave warning will be extended to 21 Italian cities on Sunday. Some Italian regions, such as Liguria and Sicily, have issued orders banning outdoor work during the most dangerous hours, and unions have been working to extend the measure to other regions. The Ansa news agency reports that the heat has led to a surge in calls to emergency medical services over the past week.
In Rome, the thermometer was already showing 30°C at 10:00 local time, and temperatures are expected to reach 37°C on Saturday. The situation is similar in Venice. On Saturday, numerous tourists who arrived in the Eternal City tried to protect themselves from the heat with hats and other headgear, sunscreen or by quenching their thirst at one of the public fountains.
An orange alert was issued for several regions in Spain on Saturday due to high temperatures resulting from this year's first summer heat wave, reaching up to 42ºC in some parts of the country, according to data from the Spanish National Meteorological Agency (Aemet).
Even higher temperatures are expected on Sunday and Monday, when temperatures in the southwest of the country and some parts of the northeast could exceed 40ºC.
"Temperatures in the area of the Guadalquivir, Guadiana, Tagus and Ebra rivers are expected to reach up to 42 degrees Celsius," Aemet announced.
Due to the intense heat, sea temperatures off the Spanish coast and around the Balearic Islands "exceeded 26°C, a record high for these dates and typical for mid-August," Aemet's report on Xu said, adding that the last three years have been the warmest in Spanish history.
The situation is similar in Portugal. An orange alert was issued for two-thirds of the country on Sunday. Temperatures will reach 42°C, which also applies to the capital Lisbon, and a warning of a huge risk of fire has been issued.
Photo: EPA/Mariscal
