Forecast — above 40°C. Red alert declared in many European countries due to heatwave

In France, the highest level of weather danger has been declared in more than half of the country's regions. According to Météo-France, temperatures in Bordeaux reached 42°C on Monday, and hundreds of schools temporarily closed by order of the Ministry of Education.

In Carpentras, a city in southern France, the bodies of two children — aged two and four — were found in a family car. According to preliminary data, the tragedy is linked to the anomalous heat.

Similar highest-level danger warnings have been issued by authorities in Germany, Italy, Switzerland, and Luxembourg.

The peak of the heatwave in many European countries is expected on Wednesday. In particular, forecasters predict up to 41°C in Paris.

The rise in temperature is caused by the influx of hot air masses from the Sahara desert to the north. This flow contributes to the formation of a peculiar "heat dome" that traps hot air over the affected regions. According to forecasters, the current heatwave could become one of the longest in recent years.

Scientists note that regular waves of extreme heat are one of the most noticeable manifestations of global warming.

According to the French meteorological service Météo-France, out of 51 heatwaves recorded in France since 1947, 34 occurred after 2000, and 26 after 2011.

In the coming days, the situation will be tense in many European countries:

The State Meteorological Agency of Spain, Aemet, warned of "exceptionally high" temperatures for this time of year until at least Wednesday. Temperatures are expected to be 5-10 degrees above the climatic norm, reaching 44°C in some areas. A red alert has been declared for the Basque Country: in San Sebastian, temperatures could rise to 40°C — almost double the usual values for late September.

In Italy, a red weather alert has been introduced in 12 cities at once, including Milan, Turin, Venice, Bologna, Florence, and Rome, where temperatures have already exceeded 35°C for several days.

In Germany, five people died over the weekend in swimming accidents. Temperatures in some areas of the country had already reached 38°C.

The British meteorological service Met Office announced a rare red heat warning for Wednesday and Thursday for several regions of England and Wales. Forecasts predict that temperatures could reach 38°C in some places.

In Greece, firefighters continue to battle a large forest fire in the Akraifnia area in the central part of the country. One of the main highways has been temporarily closed due to the fire. Hot and dry weather, as well as strong winds, contribute to the spread of the fire.

In Belgium, the Royal Meteorological Institute (IRM) predicts record high temperatures next week. The national railway operator has already announced the cancellation of some peak-hour trains on Monday and Tuesday due to the heat. Already on Monday, in the French capital, the number of services on several railway lines was reduced. The national railway operator SNCF recommended that people in at-risk groups avoid train travel if possible or reschedule it.

According to the Ministry of Education of France, 845 schools were completely closed, and about 1800 other educational institutions allowed students to finish classes earlier than usual. At the same time, more than a million high school students are required to take the oral part of their baccalaureate exams under extreme heat conditions.

The red heat warning is the highest of the four levels of danger used by the French meteorological service Météo-France. It signifies the need for maximum caution, as weather conditions can pose a direct threat to life.

An orange alert, the second most serious level, has been declared in dozens of other French regions. In total, about 63 million people in the country are affected by the consequences of the anomalous heat.

The circumstances of the death of two children found in a family car in southern France have not yet been definitively established. It is known that they were returning from a shop with their mother and likely became trapped in the car with closed windows during the heatwave, when air temperatures reached 39°C.

Medics who arrived at the scene tried to resuscitate the children, but they could not be saved.

The local prosecutor stated that the exact cause of death has not yet been determined, but "it is most likely linked to the anomalous heat."

Meanwhile, French authorities have urged citizens not to try to cool down in unauthorized swimming areas — lakes, rivers, and other bodies of water — without lifeguard supervision. This warning follows the death of 13 people who drowned last weekend.

In the southwestern department of Gironde, local authorities reported on Sunday the deaths of three people aged between 80 and 95. According to preliminary data, their deaths were also partly linked to the extreme heat. Due to the extreme weather, French authorities even imposed a ban on the sale and consumption of alcohol during the annual Fête de la Musique — a nationwide music festival that traditionally gathers huge crowds of people in the streets of French cities.

The restrictions applied to all events organized by state structures and their departments. As the authorities explained, the measure was necessary to "preserve the resources of emergency and medical services and allow medics to focus on assisting the most vulnerable categories of the population."

Preliminary weather forecast for Brest, Belarus for the coming days according to yr.no

Павялічыць

• 0
• 0
• 0
• 0
• 0
• 0
• 0
• 0