Heat warnings in many European countries

June 23 was the hottest day on record in France. Extreme temperatures have killed dozens of people and left thousands of homes without power.

Western Europe is experiencing a new, third in a year, wave of sweltering heat. Red warnings for extreme weather are in effect in several countries. So far, France has suffered the most from record temperatures. Across the country, dozens of people have died in heat-related incidents, leaving thousands of homes in western Brittany without power. Forecasters predict a slight cooling only for the weekend.

In France, the highest level of weather danger has been declared in more than half of the country's regions. June 23 was the hottest day on record. The average temperature across the country reached 29.9 degrees Celsius . In some areas, daytime temperatures rose well above 40 degrees. For example, in the southwest of the country the heat reached 44 degrees.

The heat is expected to continue through Friday before easing over the weekend. According to authorities, 48 ​​people have drowned in recent days, and two other small children died from the heat in a car. In western Brittany, extreme temperatures caused power outages in 68,000 homes. A large forest fire occurred in the department of Maine-Leroy. The Eiffel Tower and Louvre closed earlier than usual on Tuesday.

The UK is expecting extreme heat of up to 39 degrees Celsius on June 24 and 25 in parts of central and southern England, as well as Wales. Local railroads asked passengers to travel on Wednesday and Thursday only if absolutely necessary and limited train speeds due to the heat.

Two elderly people have died from heatstroke in Spain . Since last weekend, the air temperature in the country has exceeded 40 degrees Celsius. On June 24 it began to decline. In Italy, a red alert level has been declared in 16 provincial capitals. The country is expecting an increase in heat by the beginning of next week. In Switzerland, local authorities have opened air-conditioned cinemas for free daytime screenings.

It is expected that on June 24 the heat will come to other European countries. Temperatures in the Netherlands and Belgium will peak on Friday, while temperatures in Germany will reach 40 degrees Celsius over the weekend. Authorities in Poland , Croatia and Hungary also issued heat warnings later in the week.

The cause of the new heat wave in Europe is called another “heat dome”. The warm air that entered the region was “locked” by an area of ​​high pressure and continues to warm up. Scientists believe climate change around the world is causing the frequency and intensity of such heat waves to increase. According to the World Meteorological Organization, Europe is the fastest-warming continent, with temperatures rising twice as fast as the global average.