All of Europe is sweltering!

200 deaths in Spain, extreme tropical nights in Vienna

Europe is being swept by an unprecedented heat wave. Anyone who can should take every opportunity to cool off.(Bild: APA/ROLAND SCHLAGER)

The heat wave has a firm grip on large parts of Europe, with no relief in sight. The situation is particularly dire in Spain, where, according to authorities, more than 200 people have died since Sunday as a result of the high temperatures. In Germany, the thermometer is expected to soon hit 44 degrees—and Vienna is facing extreme tropical nights...

At least 212 deaths between Sunday and Wednesday could be attributed to the extreme temperatures, the Carlos III Health Institute stated on Thursday.

The estimate is based on a database that compares current daily death tolls with historical statistical data. According to this data, there were a total of 3,832 heat-related deaths in Spain between mid-May and the end of September last year.

Italy is also facing major problems with the heat. In the coming days— just as in Austria —temperatures of up to 40 degrees Celsius are expected. In addition to the high daytime temperatures, meteorologists are also forecasting tropical nights during which temperatures barely drop. This increases the strain on the population, as cities and buildings are unable to cool down sufficiently.

Work Ban in Italy
In light of these developments, several regions have enacted protective measures for outdoor workers. In numerous areas, a ban on physically strenuous work is in effect between 12:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. These measures are based on regional ordinances adopted in response to the ongoing heatwave. According to its own statements, the Ministry of Health in Rome is on high alert. The highest warning level has been declared in 16 of 27 monitored cities, including Rome, Milan, Florence, Turin, Bologna, Verona, and Venice.

The situation is similar in France, where the highest red alert level has been declared in a total of 72 out of 101 departments. The French weather service, Météo France, is describing an unusually intense heat wave, and record-breaking temperatures are expected. At 5 a.m. on Wednesday, La Rochelle was already approaching the 30-degree mark, and by the end of the day, a heat record had been set. 

Boy (3) Dies in His Parents’ Car
Particularly tragic: On Wednesday afternoon, a three-year-old boy died near Paris in his parents’ car. According to the public prosecutor’s office, the child had climbed into the car on his own when no one was looking. Because the child safety lock was engaged, he was subsequently unable to get out.  

Heat warnings are also in effect in countries further north, such as England and our German neighbors. There, the German Weather Service is warning of extreme temperatures that could climb as high as 44 degrees over the weekend.

Extreme Tropical Nights in Vienna
Austria, too, is reeling from a relentless heat wave that is set to peak this weekend. The thermometer is soaring to extreme heights, particularly in the eastern part of the country: Meteorologists at Geosphere Austria are forecasting temperatures of up to 40 degrees Celsius for Sunday. This will make for sweltering conditions rarely seen before.

According to Ubimet, new June temperature records could even be set in all federal states. The previous all-time heat record of 40.5 degrees, measured in August 2013 in Bad Deutsch-Altenburg in Lower Austria, is thus coming dangerously close.

However, it’s not just the scorching hot days that place an enormous strain on the human body—especially for the elderly and children. The nights, too, bring little relief. The number of so-called tropical nights—nights when the thermometer does not drop below the 20-degree mark—is increasing significantly as a result of global warming.

The forecast is extreme: On Saturday night, the low in Vienna is expected to be 26 degrees, and on Sunday night, a sleep-depriving 27 degrees! This puts Vienna’s previous record for the warmest night (26.9 degrees in 2015 and 2017) in serious jeopardy...