Speed limits on the Autobahn, postponed school exams and heightened weather warnings – Europe is preparing for a heat wave.
Hot winds from the Sahara are expected to push temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius.
Heat waves are not uncommon in Europe, but the summer heat is coming unusually early, meteorologists say. In Germany, the weather service expects the old June record of plus 38.5 degrees to be broken in some places on Thursday and Friday.
This has led to speed limits being introduced on certain stretches of motorway due to the increased risk of the pavement cracking in the heat and damaging car tyres.
Germany, France, Spain, Switzerland and Belgium are among the countries hardest hit by the heat in the coming days.
Elderly extra vulnerable
In Spain, the highest temperatures are expected in the northeast of the country, where Girona could reach 45 degrees on Friday and Zaragoza is forecast to reach 44 degrees this weekend.
In France, the authorities are taking no risks, with the results of the 2003 heat wave still fresh in mind. At that time, the heat was thought to have caused 15,000 deaths, many of them elderly people who were left unattended. The Red Cross is urging people to keep an eye on vulnerable neighbors, friends and relatives. ”The coming days will be stressful for many people, especially the elderly, young children and people with underlying illnesses or limited mobility,” the Red Cross said in a statement.
School exams postponed
A highly unusual measure has been announced by France's Education Minister Jean-Michel Blanquer. National exams for 14-15-year-olds are being postponed until next week due to the heat. In Paris, older models of diesel and petrol-powered cars have also been banned from Wednesday, for fear that emissions problems will be exacerbated by the heat.
The ongoing World Cup in France is also being affected. For example, the football federation Fifa allowed spectators to bring their own water bottles into the match between Sweden and Canada on Monday night.
Other parts of Europe are also affected by the heat. In Lithuania, 35.7 degrees Celsius was recorded. The heat in the Baltics has led to an unusually high number of drowning accidents this year.
Source: TT
