A deadly heatwave sweeping across Europe shattered June temperature records in Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands on Friday, with authorities in multiple countries cancelling concerts and public events due to health risks. The provisional highest temperature ever recorded in Germany — 41.3 degrees Celsius — was logged in the southwestern city of Saarbrücken, near the French border.
France endured its hottest three consecutive days this week, and although the peak has passed, Health Minister Agnès Buzyn flagged growing concern over deaths occurring at home. The World Meteorological Organization warned of severe consequences for health, ecosystems, agriculture, and labour. Spokeswoman Clare Nullis urged adaptation: “We need to get used to it, unfortunately.”
Belgian forecaster David Dehenauw reported an unofficial reading of 40°C in Kleine Brogel, close to the Dutch frontier. In the Netherlands, Limburg province recorded a top temperature of 39.4°C. Britain saw a provisional June record of 37.1°C at Cavendish in Suffolk. Across the continent, AFP calculations estimated at least 150 million people faced temperatures above 35°C on Friday.
Czech meteorologists predicted a 2012 record of 40.4°C could fall on Saturday, while Austrian forecasters expected a national record on Sunday. Balkan nations also sweltered, with Serbia bracing for up to 39°C over the weekend. In Switzerland, the Beznau nuclear plant took both reactors offline on Friday after the River Aare reached 25°C, a measure to protect aquatic life from warmed discharge water.
Scientists from World Weather Attribution noted that temperatures across France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and southern England were running 5–12°C above seasonal averages, driven by a persistent high-pressure system. They described the June heatwave as “the most severe ever recorded” in the region, with June warming faster than any other month. Europe, the fastest-warming continent, is heating at twice the global average, according to the Copernicus climate service.
The extreme heat also disrupted travel: a Eurostar service from Cologne to Paris broke down east of Brussels with roughly 400 passengers aboard. Three people were hospitalised as a precaution, Belga news agency reported.
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📰 Source: BBC World