Parts of Europe have seen temperatures as high as 42°C this week, and it’s expected to spike further, potentially hitting record-breaking highs today, August 2.
While plenty of people in the UK have struggled with rising temperatures, it pales in comparison to parts of Europe, which have seen some devastating scenes because of the heat. Greece and Turkey, for example, have experienced widespread fires due to the heat, and are now expected to experience record-breaking temperatures.
Areas like the Thessaly region in Greece is reportedly expected to reach temperatures above 47°C while other parts of the continent could see similar temperatures. Albania, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey are also expected to be impacted.
The last time Greece saw these kinds of temperatures was in July 1977, when the official temperature in Athens reached 48°C. There are concerns that these high temperatures will impact people’s lives and lead to fatalities. As a result, authorities are warning residents to avoid direct sunlight during midday hours.
Not only that, but Turkey has recently been battling fires that have destroyed hundreds of miles of the country, with people being evacuated by boats to escape the danger. Many consider the fires to be symptomatic of climate change, and the weather in the country has helped spread the flames. Turkey has seen 14% humidity and winds around 31mph fan the flames that have destroyed homes and killed eight people, Sky News reports.
On the back of this heat, and the subsequent fires, Russia and Ukraine have sent planes to help tackle the blaze in Greece while Azerbaijan has sent hundreds of emergency responders to Turkey.
Many are hoping that the heat will end after this week. It is believed that cold air masses coming from the north should help reduce the temperatures in the impacted areas.
