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Paris records hottest ever day as heatwave sears Europe Temperature records tumble again as heatwave sears Europe
(32 minutes later)
Paris has recorded its hottest day ever and a new all-time high for the Netherlands was surpassed within 24 hours as the second dangerous heatwave of summer 2019 sears western Europe. Temperature records have been broken in Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium for the second-day running, and Paris has recorded its hottest day ever, as the second dangerous heatwave of summer 2019 continued to sear western Europe.
Météo-France said the mercury at its Paris-Montsouris weather station in the French capital hit 40.6C (105F) just after 1.30pm local time on Thursday, breaking the previous high of 40.4C recorded in July 1947, and was continuing to climb. Wednesday’s Dutch record of 39.3C, set in Eindhoven, lasted until 2.40pm on Thursday, when a weather station at the Gilze-Rijen airbase, in the south of the country, registered 39.4C, the KNMI meteorological service said, climbing later to 40.4C.
Belgium’s all-time high of 40.2C, set on Wednesday at Angleur, was surpassed at 3.05pm when the mercury hit 40.6C at the military base of Kleine Brogel near the Dutch border. The pre-2019 records in both countries were set in the 1940s.
Climate crisis blamed as temperature records broken in three nationsClimate crisis blamed as temperature records broken in three nations
Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands all logged their highest ever national temperatures on Wednesday, with forecasters warning they were likely to be exceeded on Thursday. A temperature of 40.9C was measured in the north-western German town of Lingen on Thursday, one day after 40.5C was recorded in Geilenkirchen in North Rhine-Westphalia.
The new Dutch record of 39.3C, set in Eindhoven, lasted until 2.40pm when a weather station at the Gilze-Rijen airbase, in the south of the country, registered 39.4C, the KNMI meteorological service said. Météo-France said the mercury at its Paris-Montsouris station in the French capital hit 40.6C (105F) just after 1.30pm local time on Thursday, breaking the previous high of 40.4C recorded in July 1947, and was continuing to climb.
Germany’s DWD weather service said the mass of hot air was hanging “like a bell” over an area stretching from the central Mediterranean to Scandinavia, squeezed between low-pressure zones over western Russia and the eastern Atlantic. Germany’s national DWD weather service said the mass of hot air was hanging “like a bell” over an area stretching from the central Mediterranean to Scandinavia, squeezed between low-pressure zones over western Russia and the eastern Atlantic.
As authorities across the continent handed out free water to homeless people, placed hospitals and residential care institutions on high alert and opened municipal buildings to anyone seeking shade, trains were slowed in several countries to avoid damage to lines, which could buckle in the heat.As authorities across the continent handed out free water to homeless people, placed hospitals and residential care institutions on high alert and opened municipal buildings to anyone seeking shade, trains were slowed in several countries to avoid damage to lines, which could buckle in the heat.
France’s SNCF rail operator and the Métro in Paris advised travellers to postpone their trips if possible. “I ask everyone who can avoid or delay their journeys to do so,” the French environment minister, Élisabeth Borne, said. “When it is this hot it is not just people in a fragile state who can have health problems.”France’s SNCF rail operator and the Métro in Paris advised travellers to postpone their trips if possible. “I ask everyone who can avoid or delay their journeys to do so,” the French environment minister, Élisabeth Borne, said. “When it is this hot it is not just people in a fragile state who can have health problems.”
Météo-France said the conditions “require particular care, notably for vulnerable or exposed people”. The prime minister, Édouard Philippe, said people “must take care of themselves but above all others, especially those who are alone”.Météo-France said the conditions “require particular care, notably for vulnerable or exposed people”. The prime minister, Édouard Philippe, said people “must take care of themselves but above all others, especially those who are alone”.
Major French cities including Lille, Rouen, Dijon and Strasbourg were set to register new all-time highs, the national weather service said, joining a dozen others – including Bordeaux – to have set new records this week.Major French cities including Lille, Rouen, Dijon and Strasbourg were set to register new all-time highs, the national weather service said, joining a dozen others – including Bordeaux – to have set new records this week.
The government remains haunted by the heatwave of summer 2003, which led to 15,000 premature deaths, particularly of elderly people, and heavy criticism of authorities for not mobilising fast enough. The health minister, Agnès Buzyn, said temperatures in the capital on Thursday could be 2C higher than in 2003.The government remains haunted by the heatwave of summer 2003, which led to 15,000 premature deaths, particularly of elderly people, and heavy criticism of authorities for not mobilising fast enough. The health minister, Agnès Buzyn, said temperatures in the capital on Thursday could be 2C higher than in 2003.
With water restrictions in place in many areas, low river levels prompted officials to ban cruises on a 37-mile (60km) stretch of the River Danube in Germany. A zoo in Belgium said it was feeding frozen chickens to its tigers and watermelons encased in ice to its bears.With water restrictions in place in many areas, low river levels prompted officials to ban cruises on a 37-mile (60km) stretch of the River Danube in Germany. A zoo in Belgium said it was feeding frozen chickens to its tigers and watermelons encased in ice to its bears.
The peak of the latest heatwave is forecast to peak on Thursday, with cooler weather and rain expected to provide relief from Friday. But in the meantime, 20 départements in northern France, 13 Italian cities and all of Belgium remained on red alert.The peak of the latest heatwave is forecast to peak on Thursday, with cooler weather and rain expected to provide relief from Friday. But in the meantime, 20 départements in northern France, 13 Italian cities and all of Belgium remained on red alert.
The extreme temperatures follow a similar heatwave last month that made it the hottest June on record. The Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria, Andorra, Luxembourg, Poland and Germany all set new monthly records, while France recorded its highest ever temperature of 45.9C in the southern commune of Gallargues-le-Montueux.The extreme temperatures follow a similar heatwave last month that made it the hottest June on record. The Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria, Andorra, Luxembourg, Poland and Germany all set new monthly records, while France recorded its highest ever temperature of 45.9C in the southern commune of Gallargues-le-Montueux.
The World Meteorological Organization said the climate crisis was causing summer heatwaves to happen more often, start earlier and become more intense. Scientists have estimated that manmade global heating makes heatwaves five times more likely.The World Meteorological Organization said the climate crisis was causing summer heatwaves to happen more often, start earlier and become more intense. Scientists have estimated that manmade global heating makes heatwaves five times more likely.
A study published this year by the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zürich said the 2018 summer heatwave across northern Europe would have been “statistically impossible” without climate change driven by human activity.A study published this year by the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zürich said the 2018 summer heatwave across northern Europe would have been “statistically impossible” without climate change driven by human activity.
Belgium’s new all-time high of 40.2C was set on Wednesday at Angleur, the country’s meteorological office said, while Germany recorded a probable record of 40.5C at Geilenkirchen in North Rhine-Westphalia, surpassing the previous high of 40.3C recorded in Bavaria in 2015. The reading was taken at a Nato weather station, not one operated by DWD, and has yet to be officially confirmed.
EuropeEurope
Extreme weatherExtreme weather
ParisParis
BelgiumBelgium
GermanyGermany
NetherlandsNetherlands
FranceFrance
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