GENEVA (AN) — Europe is in the midst of a dangerous heat wave. with record-breaking temperatures sweeping the continent in a stark warning that climate change intensifies heat events faster than many places adapt.
The World Meteorological Organization warned on Tuesday that the extreme heat is a "silent killer," now amplified by global warming, while also cautioning that a cold spell in South America "serves as a reminder that low temperatures are also be a health threat."
With temperatures soaring above 40° Celsius in parts of Western Europe, national weather agencies issued urgent heat alerts and activated emergency heat-health action plans to protect vulnerable communities.
"Everybody is at risk. If you got out without water in the middle of the day to do jogging, have a bike ride, you will probably have health problems, or even die," WMO spokesperson Clare Nullis told reporters.
"What is exceptional, and I would stress exceptional but not unprecedented, is the time of year," she said. "We are 1st of July, and we are seeing episodes of extreme heat which normally we would see later on."
A persistent high-pressure system pulled dry, hot air from North Africa into Europe. Over the weekend, Spain’s weather agency, AEMET, recorded a staggering 46° C. in the country’s south.
Portugal, Italy and Greece are also enduring severe heat. France’s Meteo-France issued a top-level red alert for 16 departments, warning of life-threatening heat. In Switzerland, MeteoSwiss placed much of the country, including Geneva, under an amber alert as temperatures climb.
By contrast, extreme weather in the Southern Hemisphere's winter caused June to end in what WMO called an unusual, record-breaking cold spell in South America, notably Argentina, Chile and Paraguay.
In Europe, Red Cross and Red Crescent teams are responding to more heat-related emergencies particularly involving older people, outdoor workers, people experiencing homelessness, and communities in fire-prone areas.
"It doesn’t have to become a disaster if communities are warned well in advance and prepared," said Tommaso Della Longa, spokesperson for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
For example, in Spain's coastal city of Malaga, he told reporters, the Red Cross set up an air-conditioned "climate refuge" to help residents cope with the heat "in comfort and with company" to avoid the isolation of being forced to stay indoors.
And in Greece, he said, the Red Cross activated an "early action protocol" before heatwaves hit, with volunteers handing out water, isotonic drinks, food, and sunscreen, and perform wellness checks with bike-based first aid teams.
Heat islands increase risks for millions
July is usually Europe’s hottest month, but this wave’s timing and intensity stand out. Both daytime highs and nighttime lows have broken records in parts of western and southwestern Europe, while unusually warm Mediterranean temperatures are reinforcing the heat over land.
Minimal cloud cover is adding to the danger by allowing full solar radiation to hit the ground. In cities, the urban heat-island effect traps even more hot air, with concrete, buildings, roads and vehicles raising temperatures compared to surrounding rural areas.
WMO says the weather can normally stay for several days or even weeks, leading to intense and widespread heat wave conditions. More than two-thirds of Europe’s most severe heat waves since 1950 have struck since 2000, according to the E.U.’s Copernicus Climate Change Service and WMO.
The U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, in its sixth series of major reports, warns that by 2050, nearly half of Europe’s population could face a high or very high risk of heat stress, especially in Southern, Eastern, and increasingly Western and Central Europe.
In response, WMO is expanding its 'Early Warnings for All' initiative to improve extreme heat preparedness. Working with the World Health Organization and Global Heat Health Information Network, WMO aims to provide more governments with the tools and data they will need to protect people from rising heat risks.
The 'new normal'
Global experts gathered in London last week to improve how countries monitor heat-related illness and deaths, strengthening public health systems as heatwaves become more frequent and severe.
As the planet warms, heat waves in Europe are no longer rare – they are the new normal. For millions across the continent, tackling the rising threat of extreme heat will require faster warnings, better urban planning, and urgent climate action to keep communities safe.
Record heat powered by climate change is not confined to Europe. WMO reported last month that Asia is heating up nearly twice as fast as the global average, fueling more extreme weather and wreaking a heavy toll on the region’s economies, ecosystems and societies.
After the death of a 47-year-old construction worker near Bologna on Monday due to a suspected heatstroke while pouring concrete Italian trade unions Bologna CGIL and Fillea-Cgil emphasized the importance of promoting a culture of safety.
Extreme heat causes more than 4,000 accidents a year in Italy alone, according to the trade unions, and the most affected are workers doing construction, agriculture and logistics who are subjected to long shifts outdoors without adequate protections.
"The weather emergency has aggravated the conditions of those who work outside every day," they said, "and companies must give absolute priority to protecting workers."
