Temperature warnings were issued for Berlin on Tuesday as the prolonged heat wave that’s gripping Europe hones in on the region’s biggest economy.
Red alerts for extreme heat were issued for the capital and in areas to the southeast of the city. Temperatures will reach 31C (87.8F) on Tuesday and are poised to climb to 32C over the weekend, according to Maxar Technologies Inc.
“Widespread hotter than normal temperatures are supported from the mid-continent to southern tier with persistent coverage of much above-normal anomalies,” meteorologists at Maxar said in a daily report.
The latest bout of hot weather will increase the risk of health issues for the population in Germany where almost a third are over the age of 60. At the same time, only about one in ten Germans have air conditioning — compared with nearly 90% of US households.
Extreme weather has hit the Northern Hemisphere from the US to China this summer, bringing fires, floods and violent storms as climate change increases the intensity of heat waves. That comes after the world’s hottest ever month in July.
Frankfurt is also set for a boiling weekend, with temperatures exceeding 30C for five days from Saturday. Even in Hamburg in the north, the mercury will reach 30.5C on Saturday, which is 6C above normal. Paris will get as hot as 32.5C on Friday, according to Maxar.
In Italy and other parts of France, the heat is interchangeable with violent thunderstorms and heavy flooding. Florence may get as warm as 38C, while heavy rain, hailstorms and strong winds are expected across the Italian alps, where warnings have also been issued.
Scandinavia is still reeling from the aftermath of Storm Hans, whose torrential rain and strong winds left a trail of destruction, including the partial collapse of a hydroelectric dam in Norway.
