A brutal heatwave is bearing down on much of Europe, forcing emergency government action in France, near-nationwide weather alerts in Germany, and turning everyday life upside down for residents and tourists in Italy as temperatures inch toward historic highs.
French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu was scheduled to chair a crisis meeting Saturday after the country’s national weather agency, Meteo France, warned the scorching conditions would linger into next week. Officials described the event as comparable to the severe heat episodes Europe experienced in 2003 and 2019.
By Sunday, forecasters were predicting temperatures between 39 and 40 degrees Celsius stretching from southwestern France through the Paris region and into Burgundy, with isolated areas possibly topping 41 degrees. The heat is expected to reach its worst on Monday, potentially tying all-time records.
Germany was also in the grip of the heat, with temperatures approaching 38 degrees Celsius and near-nationwide alerts in effect. The DWD weather service warned that a dangerous combination of heat and humidity could also set off powerful thunderstorms.
In Italy, the sweltering conditions were reshaping daily routines and making tourism a physical challenge. Outside Rome’s Colosseum, visitors stood in long lines under a relentless sun, turning a sightseeing trip into a test of endurance. Some found a bit of relief in the cooler underground spaces beneath the partially buried remains of the Temple of Claudius.
In the northern city of Bologna — one of the hottest cities on the Italian peninsula — people splashed water on their faces at the historic 16th-century Fountain of Neptune and took shelter under the shade of the city’s signature porticoes.
Meanwhile, residents of Warsaw, Poland, flocked to popular spots along the Vistula River in search of some escape from the heat.
Climate scientists have long warned that global warming is making heatwaves more common and more intense across Europe, raising the risk of health crises and economic disruption each summer.
In Paris, city officials moved to help residents cope, with Deputy Mayor Emmanuel Gregoire ordering all parks to stay open 24 hours a day.
The financial impact of extreme heat is also drawing scrutiny. Bank of France Governor Emmanuel Moulin described the short-term effects on economic growth as “somewhat ambiguous,” pointing to both lower worker productivity and higher energy consumption. However, he cautioned that over the longer term, heatwaves put a real drag on economic activity.
