Record-Breaking Heatwave Sweeps Northern and Central Europe

The Czech Republic registered its highest temperature ever on Saturday, reaching 40.8 °C at a station in Doksany, north of Prague, according to the national meteorological service (CHMI).

Forecasters in Denmark reported a provisional reading of 37 °C in Odum, close to Aarhus, surpassing the previous all‑time high of 36.4 °C set in 1976.

Switzerland marked its third consecutive day of record‑breaking June heat, with the mercury climbing to 39 °C in Basel, the country’s hottest June day on record.

“This extraordinary heatwave stems from a slow‑moving, persistent high‑pressure system — often called a ‘heat dome’,” said BBC lead weather presenter Ben Rich.

“The sinking air beneath the high pressure compresses and warms, driving temperatures upward day after day.

“Clear skies have predominated, letting strong sunshine further intensify the heat,” he added.

Since the onset of the heatwave, France has recorded at least 55 drowning deaths, with roughly two‑thirds occurring in unsupervised swimming areas.

Spain’s MoMo monitoring system logged 327 deaths that may be heat‑related between Sunday and Thursday.

Europe is warming faster than any other continent, a trend driven by rapid Arctic heating and shifts in the jet‑stream pattern.

Researchers from World Weather Attribution note that a heatwave of this intensity arriving so early in summer would have been virtually impossible half a century ago.

They attribute the event unequivocally to climate change.

The extreme heat is expected to persist through the weekend and into Monday, with temperatures still above 40 °C possible in some locations, according to BBC weather forecaster Ben Rich.

However, cooler air moving in from the west will advance eastward later in the week, bringing some relief.

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