Record heat grips Germany and Denmark as European heatwave moves east

BERLIN: A powerful heatwave continued to sweep across Europe on Saturday, bringing extreme temperatures from Scandinavia to the Alps as the weather system pushed east towards Poland. Several countries reported record or near-record conditions, while authorities issued warnings and took steps to limit disruption to transport, public events and health services.

Germany and Denmark were among the latest countries hit by exceptional heat. Germany’s National Meteorological Service said preliminary data showed a new national record of 41.3C near Saarbruecken on the French border on Friday. In Denmark, the national meteorological institute reported a temperature of 37C north of Aarhus on Saturday, the highest recorded in the country since measurements began in 1874.

The Danish reading came after Britain, France, Switzerland and Germany had all seen record heat in June. In Poland, temperatures climbed well above 30C across almost the entire country as the heat spread further east.

Scientists said the heatwave would have been virtually impossible without human-caused climate change, adding that this week’s night-time temperatures were 100 times more likely than they would have been even two decades ago. Karsten Brandt, a meteorologist at weather forecasting website Donnerwetter.de, said the hottest phase was expected over the weekend.

Germany’s weather service issued extreme heat warnings for nearly the whole country on Saturday and said temperatures of 36C were expected widely, with local highs possibly reaching 42C. Authorities also urged people to conserve water.

Deaths, health pressure and travel disruption

In France, dozens of people — both young and old — have died during the heatwave. The French prime minister’s office said that although the worst of the heat was moving on, hospitals would remain under pressure and admissions were expected to stay elevated for several more days. Officials also said reports of wildfires in France had risen compared with the same period last year because of the extreme conditions.

Temperatures above 40C have disrupted rail services and power generation in parts of Europe, while also prompting alcohol bans, school suspensions and the postponement of outdoor events.

Rail and road infrastructure also came under strain. German rail operator Deutsche Bahn allowed passengers to cancel long-distance trips without charge into early next week in an effort to ease pressure on the network. National Express said it would halt some train services on Saturday afternoon in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany’s most populous state, as a precaution. Near Hamburg, authorities partially closed the main lane of one of the country’s busiest motorways after the heat caused asphalt to split.

Warnings across Italy and changes to events

Italy’s health ministry issued a red alert for 18 cities for Saturday and Sunday, including Milan, Rome, Turin, Venice, Genoa, Florence and Bologna, with temperatures forecast to rise as high as 39C. In Bolzano, in the Italian Alps, city meteorologist Dieter Peterlin said on X that Friday was the warmest June night on record, with temperatures not falling below 25.4C overnight.

Some public events were adjusted in response to the heat. In Switzerland, the Lausanne Pride march was set to proceed on Saturday with additional water fountains and first responders in place. In Milan, the city’s Pride march was delayed until 5 p.m. local time to avoid the most intense afternoon heat.