From Seville to Bordeaux and Florence, temperatures in the coming days could approach the 40°C mark. Experts consider the current heat dome not an anomaly, but another manifestation of the "new climate norm," for which European infrastructure remains unprepared, reports UNN with reference to Euronews.
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Severe heat is once again engulfing Europe just weeks after the first wave of extreme heat hit the continent in late May.
Spain's national meteorological agency AEMET has already issued a yellow weather warning in several regions of the country due to a "significant increase" in temperatures, while an orange warning for rain and thunderstorms is in effect in the northeast.
Forecasters predict that Seville, Zaragoza, and Cordoba will be hardest hit, with temperatures approaching 40°C by the beginning of next week. So-called tropical nights are also expected, when the thermometer does not drop below 20°C throughout the day, leaving residents without air conditioning with almost no chance for proper rest and sleep.
France, where several people died during an unprecedented May heatwave last month, is bracing for predicted peak values of up to 39°C in the southwest of the country, in the Bordeaux area.
In Portugal, according to meteorologist Maria João Frada, temperatures will begin to rise from Saturday (June 20) and are likely to remain very high next week, reaching 40°C and above in some places.
"We are already talking about temperatures around 35-40°C by the beginning of next week, but the 40°C mark will likely be characteristic mainly of the inland regions—the interior parts of the Douro Valley, the Tagus Valley, and the interior regions of Alentejo," Frada explains, adding that temperatures on the west coast could also reach high levels.
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"This is not just another hot week"
Italian forecasters warn that next week, hot air from subtropical latitudes over the interior of North Africa will settle over the country, bringing scorching heat to the south and even the north; for example, in Florence, the temperature could rise to 40°C.
In the coming days, warming is also expected in countries that usually remain cooler.
According to initial forecasts from the wfy24.com portal, temperatures on the inland Danube plains of Bulgaria and Romania will head toward 38°C, while in Budapest, they will rise to 36–37°C.
"This is not just another hot week; here we see the characteristic features of atmospheric blocking (a heat dome) rather than a short-term heatwave," wyf24 founder Ioanna Vergini told Euronews Earth.
Europe's "structural gap" in the fight against extreme heat
According to Vergini, the current spike in temperatures is a "clear illustration of the new norm" as heat-trapping gases continue to warm the planet.
"Speaking of our readiness, it shows a growing structural gap," she notes. "In southern Europe, a behavioral tolerance to extreme heat has developed: changed schedules, siestas, shutters on windows, and so on. But this is a behavioral, not biological adaptation, and it does not provide physical protection."
Power grids, even in hotter regions, struggle to cope with spikes in consumption due to air conditioning use, and many public transport systems are designed based on temperature thresholds from the end of the 20th century, making them also vulnerable to extreme heat.
Last week, a large-scale power outage occurred in the northwestern Italian city of Turin: the May heatwave created an increased load on the local power grid.
The French suburban rail and tram-train operator Transilien has already urged passengers to check schedules in advance before traveling to the station due to possible service disruptions caused by the heat.
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Hidden dangers of tropical nights
The expected rise in temperatures is accompanied by an increase in the number of tropical nights in many areas of the Mediterranean.
This is already affecting public services, particularly schools, where the possibility of rescheduling exams is being considered to alleviate the condition of students who sleep poorly due to high nighttime temperatures.
"Prolonged nighttime heat possibly poses a greater threat to public health than the daytime maximum," Vergini explains. "When the minimum temperature does not drop below 20°C, and in the worst cases stays above 25°C—what some call 'super-tropical nights'—the body loses vital respite while trying to cool down."
"Excess mortality during heatwaves correlates much more strongly with a series of high nighttime minimums than with a single hot day," she says.
In cities, tropical nights are much harder to endure due to the urban heat island effect. This is a phenomenon where heat is trapped between high-rise buildings, absorbed by asphalt and concrete, and then released back into the air at night.