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Germany records new all-time temperature high as Europe heatwave moves east
Al Jazeera • • general
Key Points:
- A record-breaking heatwave in Western Europe has caused dozens of deaths, with temperatures exceeding 40°C (104°F) in Germany, Poland, and other countries, breaking multiple national temperature records.
- Germany set a new high of 41.5°C (106.7°F), surpassing the previous record by 0.2°C, while the Czech Republic and Denmark also recorded their highest-ever temperatures this weekend.
- The heatwave has disrupted daily life across Europe, affecting rail travel, power generation, outdoor events, and prompting public service providers like Deutsche Bahn to offer travel cancellations due to infrastructure strain.
- Italy issued red alerts in 18 cities, and France reported the highest death toll, with vulnerable populations most affected; the heatwave is expected to peak over the weekend before fading with heavy thunderstorms.
- Scientists attribute the extreme heatwave to a weather pattern called an omega block and emphasize that man-made climate change has made such events significantly more likely, with nighttime temperatures now 100 times more probable than two decades ago.
