Heatwave Breaks Records Across Germany, Denmark, and Czech Republic, Germany Hits 41.5C

A heatwave moving from the Iberian peninsula into northern and central Europe broke records across Germany, Denmark and the Czech Republic, with Germany setting a new all-time high of 41.5C for the second day in a row.

“Central Europe sizzles as heat records are smashed in Switzerland, Denmark and Czech Republic Central Europe sizzles as heat records are smashed in Switzerland, Denmark and Czech Republic BERLIN (AP) — Temperatures soared to record highs from Switzerland to the Czech Republic and Denmark on Saturday, as a heat wave that baked western European countries this week moved to central and eastern parts of the continent”

AP News

The BBC reported that the German record of 41.5C was set in Möckern-Drewitz in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt, surpassing a record of 41.3C set just a day earlier in Saarbrucken near the French border.

AP News

In the Czech Republic, the national meteorological service (CHMI) said the country recorded its highest-ever temperature on Saturday with a reading of 40.8C at a weather station in Doksany north of Prague.

Denmark’s forecasters said a provisional temperature of 37C was recorded in Odum, near Aarhus, exceeding the previous all-time record of 36.4C set in 1976.

The BBC said the heatwave was caused by a slow-moving persistent area of high pressure, a so-called 'heat dome', with sinking air compressed and warmed as skies remained largely cloud-free.

As the heatwave pushed into central and eastern parts of the continent, the AP said Denmark’s Meteorological Institute reported a record 37 degrees Celsius in Ødum north of Aarhus, while Switzerland set a record 38.8 C in Basel and the Czech Republic hit 40.8 C in Doksany.

The AP reported that in two places outside Berlin, the concrete of the A2 burst due to the high temperatures and the highway had to be closed, and it said Deutsche Bahn and other rail companies advised against all nonessential train travel this weekend.

BBC

In Germany’s Dormagen, the AP said dozens of residents of a nursing home were evacuated for medical care due to dangerous heat conditions in the building, and the local fire department reported temperatures inside the home had reached 35 C.

The AP also described hospital pressure in France, where the Paris public hospital authority, AP-HP, activated its emergency response plan across all 38 hospitals to cope with nearly 3,000 people seeking care in public hospital emergency rooms.

The BBC tied the heatwave to deaths and health impacts, saying it has been linked to the deaths of hundreds of people over the past week and that the number of drowning deaths in France has risen to at least 55.

The BBC said scientists from the World Weather Attribution found that a heatwave of this magnitude so early in the summer would have been virtually impossible 50 years ago, adding that climate change is "unequivocally" to blame.

“Temperatures hit record highs from Switzerland to the Czech Republic and Denmark on Saturday, as a h that baked western European countries this week moves to central and eastern parts of the continent”

CBS News

In the same BBC account, forecasters said the extreme heat would continue over the weekend into Monday with temperatures above 40C still possible in places, while cooler conditions developing in the west would sweep eastwards to bring some relief later in the week.

The Washington Post reported that researchers said the phenomenon melting long-standing temperature records is due to a heat dome parked over Europe, with clear skies and strong sunshine intensifying the effect for large swaths of the continent.

The Washington Post quoted Theodore Keeping, an extreme-weather and wildfire researcher at Imperial College London, saying the results were "striking" and that "If we’re breaking temperature records in some parts of Europe and it’s not even July" it meant the event was a "really big heat-wave event."

In France, the Washington Post said Police Chief Patrice Faure announced a ban on drinking alcohol in public places this weekend because of the risk of heatstroke, while the AP-HP director Nicolas Revel said he doesn’t expect as many deaths this time, at least in Paris hospitals.