Heat wave in Europe – up to 43 degrees possible.
©AFP; AP
A heat wave that has been around since the beginning of July reached a new high in large parts of Greece on Thursday.
The Ministry of Culture has announced that all archaeological sites will be closed from 12 noon to 5 pm local time as the local temperature will exceed 43 degrees. Among those affected were the ancient site of Athens, the Acropolis, and Olympia. Meanwhile, Spain is also experiencing intense heat, for example in Andalusia.
Neighbors chat outside to escape the heat on a hot summer evening in Ronda.
© Reuters
Civil defense warned of a high fire risk in most parts of central and southern Greece. A fire department spokesman told Greek television that the current drought and strong winds around the Aegean Sea could turn small fires into major fires. The situation in Crete and the Aegean islands is somewhat better. There, the sea breeze cools down to 35 degrees, the Met Office said.
People are chilling in Piazza del Popolo in Rome.
©AFP
Greece’s Ministry of Labor ordered the suspension of all delivery services during hot afternoon hours (12pm to 5pm). Construction work was also halted during lunch for the next five hours. According to the Ministry of Labour, anyone can work from home. Weather forecasters radioed that temperatures would top 60 degrees under the sun. It was said to be life-threatening.
Athens: An officer gives water to a member of the Presidential Guard.
©AFP
Warm air has been blowing in from North Africa for weeks and causing problems for people across much of South-Eastern Europe. Even at night, thermometers show values above 30 degrees in most areas. Meteorologists cannot say exactly when this constant heat will end. “Maybe next weekend,” they estimate unanimously on Greek radio.
A man splashes himself with water from a fountain to cool off during a heat wave in central Zagreb.
©AFP
Temperatures in Spain also reached 44 degrees. Temperatures of up to 42 degrees are expected in Zaragoza in the northeast of the country by Friday, and it could be a little warmer in Andalusia in the south. In the cities of Seville and Córdoba, along with the Alhambra, a famous Moorish city fortress located in the Guadalquivir river valley, temperatures could reach 44 degrees, especially on Friday, National Weather Service Amet warned. Even at night the temperature often does not drop below 20 degrees, which the Spaniards refer to as tropical nights.
People bathe in the hot sea in Marseille, southern France.
©AP
However, not all heat is created equal. While humidity is high on the holiday island of Mallorca, an expected 35 degrees, a few degrees are considered sweatier in drier Andalusia. In any case, the advice is the same: drink plenty of water, wear light clothing, postpone strenuous physical activity to cooler mornings and evenings, or better yet, avoid them altogether and focus on others, especially the elderly. Do not handle heat well. It should be slightly cooler across the country starting Sunday with temperatures in the lower 40s.
