A vast heatwave is tightening its grip across Europe, with red alerts issued in France, Spain, Italy and other countries as temperatures surge above 40C and authorities warn of life-threatening conditions.

Schools have closed, transport services have been disrupted and emergency services are under mounting pressure as meteorologists forecast one of the most intense and prolonged heatwaves in recent years.

Continent Faces Dangerous Temperature Spike

France is at the centre of the crisis, with more than half of its regions under the highest-level heat warning. Temperatures climbed to 42C in Bordeaux on Monday, while Paris is expected to approach 41C later this week.

More than 800 schools have been shut and hundreds more have shortened classes. Officials estimate that around 63 million people are affected by weather alerts across the country.

Tragedy Strikes as Heat Takes Toll

The heatwave has already been linked to several deaths. In southern France, two young children aged two and four were found dead in a family car after reportedly becoming trapped inside during temperatures nearing 39C.

Authorities said the exact cause of death remains under investigation but is likely connected to the extreme heat. Elsewhere in France, officials reported multiple heat-related fatalities among elderly residents and warned of increasing health risks for vulnerable people.

Warnings Spread Across Europe

Spain has issued red alerts in parts of the country, with temperatures forecast to hit 44C in some regions. In the Basque Country, San Sebastian could see temperatures almost double its seasonal average.

Italy has placed 12 major cities, including Rome, Milan and Florence, under red alerts. Germany, Switzerland, Luxembourg and Belgium have also issued severe weather warnings as temperatures continue to climb.

Climate Pressure Builds

Scientists say recurring extreme heat events are becoming increasingly common as global temperatures rise. French forecasters note that most of the country's recorded heatwaves since 1947 have occurred in the past two decades.

With hot air surging north from the Sahara and trapping heat across western Europe, forecasters warn the worst may not yet be over. Temperatures are expected to peak midweek before any significant relief arrives, leaving millions facing several more days of dangerous conditions.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0jy9g96086o

Do they not have air conditioning in Europe?

4° cooler in the UK than the EU. Finally, a Brexit benefit😉

Greta warns: 40C UK heatwave ‘only the beginning’

As Britain braces for potentially record-breaking temperatures, climate activist Greta Thunberg has issued a stark warning that the extreme heat sweeping the UK is just the start of a much larger crisis.

With parts of England and Wales facing temperatures of up to 40C and a rare extreme heat warning in force, concerns are mounting over public safety, infrastructure strain and the long-term impact of climate change.

Heatwave Pushes Britain Towards Dangerous Territory

The Met Office has warned that the current heatwave could pose a risk to life, with scorching conditions expected to persist until at least Thursday.

Forecasters say there is growing confidence that the UK could surpass its current June temperature record of 35.6C, set in Southampton in 1976. The heat is being driven by a powerful “heat dome” over western Europe, trapping hot air and pushing temperatures to exceptional levels.

The impact is already being felt. Some schools have announced early closures to protect pupils and staff, while health authorities are urging vulnerable people to take extra precautions.

‘Experts Have Warned About This For Decades’

Speaking as temperatures climbed, Thunberg said the extreme conditions reflected years of ignored scientific warnings.

She argued that the climate crisis is no longer a future threat but a present reality, adding that those suffering the worst effects are often those least responsible for global emissions. According to Thunberg, the current heatwave is “unfortunately only the beginning”.

Pressure Mounts On Political Leaders

The activist also launched a broadside at UK political leaders, accusing them of failing to treat climate change as the existential threat scientists describe.

Thunberg claimed Britain’s historical contribution to global emissions carries a responsibility to act more aggressively, including supporting countries already suffering the consequences of climate change. She backed calls for greater climate funding and reparations for poorer nations affected by rising temperatures and extreme weather.

Government Defends Climate Record

Ministers reject claims of inaction, pointing to the UK’s emissions reductions and commitment to reaching net zero by 2050.

The government says accelerating investment in clean energy remains central to its strategy, arguing that tackling climate change will improve energy security, cut bills and reduce the risks posed by increasingly severe weather events.

As temperatures continue to rise, the political battle over who is responsible—and what comes next—is heating up just as quickly.

Greta Thunberg warns 40°C heatwave about to hit UK 'is only the beginning'

Better put taxes up by 100 percent that'll solve the 'climate problem'

Well, just give the government 50% of your paycheck in "Climate Taxes" and I'm sure that they'll solve the problem.

Extreme heat event cancelled by extreme heat as UK bakes

A major climate conference on coping with extreme heat has been cancelled because of extreme heat, in a striking illustration of the challenge facing Britain as temperatures surge towards record levels.

The event, due to be held at the London School of Economics on Wednesday, was called off after the Met Office issued a rare red heat warning covering London and much of southern England.

Warning Becomes Reality

The conference, titled Extreme Heat: Improving Governance and Strengthening Action Around the World, was set to bring together researchers, policymakers and resilience experts during London Climate Action Week.

Instead, organisers concluded that the risks posed by the soaring temperatures were too great. With no cooling systems at the venue, they said they could not guarantee safe conditions for speakers or attendees travelling through the capital.

The Zurich Climate Resilience Alliance summed up the situation bluntly: an event on extreme heat had been cancelled “due to extreme heat”.

Britain Faces a Growing Stress Test

The decision comes as a powerful heat dome settles across western Europe, pushing temperatures towards 40C in parts of the UK and threatening to break the longstanding June record of 35.6C.

Hundreds of schools have already announced full or partial closures. Transport networks, workplaces and public services are also facing mounting pressure as authorities warn of potential risks to life.

The episode has become a vivid example of a wider problem: much of Britain was built for a cooler climate that is rapidly disappearing.

Scientists Sound the Alarm

Climate experts say the cancellation highlights how extreme heat is shifting from an occasional disruption to a recurring national challenge.

Professor Friederike Otto of Imperial College London warned that temperatures above 35C, once considered exceptionally rare in Britain, have become increasingly common over the past decade. She argued that the country’s homes, infrastructure and economy are struggling to keep pace with a warming world.

Researchers also warn that heatwaves are expected to become more frequent, more intense and longer-lasting in the coming decades.

A Glimpse of What Comes Next

The Met Office estimates there is a high probability that at least one of the next five years will exceed current global temperature records.

For climate campaigners and scientists alike, the cancellation was more than an awkward irony. It was a reminder that the impacts of climate change are no longer theoretical debates in conference halls—they are increasingly shaping whether those conferences can happen at all.

Climate event on coping with extreme heat cancelled by extreme heat

'UK' will soon be able to grow tropical fruits, vegetables and herbs

mangos,bananas,durian,gno,rambutin,lychee,coconut

just need to have a national program of aircon installation

should be heat and cool aircons as there may still be a return to the ice age after this current ice age ends and hopefully before the dinosaurs return during the high temp high C02 in between whiles 😋

17 hours ago, johng said:

'UK' will soon be able to grow tropical fruits, vegetables and herbs

mangos,bananas,durian,gno,rambutin,lychee,coconut

just need to have a national program of aircon installation

should be heat and cool aircons as there may still be a return to the ice age after this current ice age ends and hopefully before the dinosaurs return during the high temp high C02 in between whiles 😋

They will have more and more regions for wine grapes, maybe Scotland will change from Whisky to White Wine in the near future.

As for myself, I will go to Europe as Thailand is too cold😅🤣😂🥶

Here is an idea.....BUY ACs and install them. They work just fine.

21 hours ago, bannork said:

Extreme heat event cancelled by extreme heat as UK bakes

A major climate conference on coping with extreme heat has been cancelled because of extreme heat, in a striking illustration of the challenge facing Britain as temperatures surge towards record levels.

The event, due to be held at the London School of Economics on Wednesday, was called off after the Met Office issued a rare red heat warning covering London and much of southern England.

Warning Becomes Reality

The conference, titled Extreme Heat: Improving Governance and Strengthening Action Around the World, was set to bring together researchers, policymakers and resilience experts during London Climate Action Week.

Instead, organisers concluded that the risks posed by the soaring temperatures were too great. With no cooling systems at the venue, they said they could not guarantee safe conditions for speakers or attendees travelling through the capital.

The Zurich Climate Resilience Alliance summed up the situation bluntly: an event on extreme heat had been cancelled “due to extreme heat”.

Britain Faces a Growing Stress Test

The decision comes as a powerful heat dome settles across western Europe, pushing temperatures towards 40C in parts of the UK and threatening to break the longstanding June record of 35.6C.

Hundreds of schools have already announced full or partial closures. Transport networks, workplaces and public services are also facing mounting pressure as authorities warn of potential risks to life.

The episode has become a vivid example of a wider problem: much of Britain was built for a cooler climate that is rapidly disappearing.

Scientists Sound the Alarm

Climate experts say the cancellation highlights how extreme heat is shifting from an occasional disruption to a recurring national challenge.

Professor Friederike Otto of Imperial College London warned that temperatures above 35C, once considered exceptionally rare in Britain, have become increasingly common over the past decade. She argued that the country’s homes, infrastructure and economy are struggling to keep pace with a warming world.

Researchers also warn that heatwaves are expected to become more frequent, more intense and longer-lasting in the coming decades.

A Glimpse of What Comes Next

The Met Office estimates there is a high probability that at least one of the next five years will exceed current global temperature records.

For climate campaigners and scientists alike, the cancellation was more than an awkward irony. It was a reminder that the impacts of climate change are no longer theoretical debates in conference halls—they are increasingly shaping whether those conferences can happen at all.

Climate event on coping with extreme heat cancelled by extreme heat

Hmmmm, been on this planet for 60+ years....and guess what I discovered. Winter it gets cold, Summer is hot. For some reason, that happens every year. Wonder why?

On 6/25/2026 at 4:55 AM, Taboo2 said:

Hmmmm, been on this planet for 60+ years....and guess what I discovered. Winter it gets cold, Summer is hot. For some reason, that happens every year. Wonder why?

1976 heatwave would be even more brutal today!

The legendary summer of 1976 is still remembered as one of Britain's greatest heatwaves. But what if the exact same weather pattern struck today? Scientists say the answer is alarming.

Researchers argue that a repeat of the famous 1976 heatwave would be dramatically hotter in today's climate, bringing far greater risks to health, infrastructure and everyday life. They say global temperatures have risen by about 1°C since 1976, transforming the conditions in which extreme heat now unfolds.

The original summer of 1976 was extraordinary for its time.

Britain endured 15 consecutive days with temperatures above 32°C after a year-long drought. The prolonged heat triggered severe water shortages, widespread wildfires and was eventually followed by flash floods.

Yet today's climate tells a very different story.

Although summer 2025 surpassed 1976 as the UK's hottest summer on record, it achieved that through three shorter heatwaves rather than one prolonged spell. On a global scale, researchers say the contrast is even more striking.

In 1976, north-west Europe stood out as an isolated hotspot while much of the world remained cooler. By summer 2025, extreme heat had spread across much of the globe, with record-breaking temperatures reported in numerous regions.

Scientists say greenhouse gas emissions, primarily from burning fossil fuels, have already made every summer and every heatwave hotter than they would otherwise have been. But they warn the changes are even more dramatic than the average rise in global temperature suggests.

Since the 1960s, heatwaves in southern England have become between 3°C and 4°C hotter in both urban and rural areas. Researchers estimate that if the weather patterns of 1976 occurred today, peak temperatures would likely reach between 38°C and 39°C.

That would not surpass the UK's all-time record of 40°C, recorded on 19 July 2022, but it would match temperatures forecast during the late June 2026 heatwave. Even more striking is the duration.

The famous run of 15 straight days above 32°C in 1976 would now become 15 consecutive days exceeding 35°C. Britain has only previously experienced three consecutive days above 35°C, highlighting just how exceptional such a prolonged event would be.

Researchers conclude that choices made now remain crucial. They say rapidly reducing reliance on fossil fuels, reversing deforestation, restoring nature and stabilising greenhouse gas emissions could help avoid the most severe future impacts, even though further adaptation to hotter summers will still be unavoidable.

We recreated the legendary heatwave summer of 1976 in today’s climate – here’s what we found

Europe is heating up faster than any other continent, with scientists warning the region has already warmed by around 2.5°C above pre-industrial levels. According to Copernicus and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), Europe is warming at more than twice the global average, turning the continent into a frontline of the climate crisis.

Why Europe Is Heating So Fast

The reasons stretch far beyond rising global temperatures. Europe sits close to the Arctic, one of the fastest-warming places on Earth, where disappearing snow and sea ice are accelerating heating. As bright, reflective surfaces vanish, darker land and ocean absorb more sunlight, trapping additional heat and driving temperatures higher across northern and central Europe.

Shrinking snow cover is also reducing the continent's natural cooling effect. Copernicus identifies declining snow cover, particularly in mountain and northern regions, as a major contributor to Europe's rapid warming.

Cleaner Air Brings an Unintended Cost

Efforts to reduce air pollution have delivered major health benefits, but they have also exposed another climate challenge. Polluted air once contained particles that reflected some sunlight back into space, slightly masking the effects of greenhouse gases.

With cleaner skies allowing more solar radiation to reach the ground, Copernicus says reduced air pollution has become one of several factors contributing to faster warming across Europe.

Heatwaves Become the New Normal

The impact is being felt most clearly through increasingly frequent and intense heatwaves. The WMO says dangerous temperatures, prolonged droughts and record-breaking ocean warmth are now affecting areas from the Arctic to the Mediterranean.

Southern Europe remains especially vulnerable. Hot air building over North Africa and the Mediterranean regularly surges north, triggering extreme temperatures across Spain, Italy, Greece and France. In May 2026, western Europe experienced record-breaking heat, forcing France to issue unusually early heat warnings.

A Continent Under Growing Pressure

Europe's seas are warming alongside its land. Copernicus reports marine heatwaves and record ocean temperatures that disrupt ecosystems, fisheries and coastal weather patterns while helping sustain prolonged hot conditions inland.

Changing weather patterns are also making extreme heat more persistent. Blocking systems and heat domes can trap hot air over the same regions for days or even weeks, intensifying drought and increasing pressure on health services, agriculture and water supplies.

The consequences are already unfolding. The WMO says rapid warming is accelerating snow and ice loss while fuelling wildfires, biodiversity decline and prolonged drought across the continent. As landscapes dry out and ecosystems weaken, each climate impact reinforces the next.

Scientists say the long-term solution remains the same: cutting global greenhouse gas emissions while adapting faster to rising temperatures through improved urban cooling, water management and protection for vulnerable communities. Without both, Europe faces ever more frequent summers defined by extreme heat rather than seasonal warmth.

Europe is warming faster than the rest of the world — here’s why

Switzerland's glaciers have reached a worrying milestone far earlier than normal, with scientists warning that this year's winter snow accumulation is expected to have completely melted away by the end of June as an intense European heatwave accelerates ice loss.

Researchers say the early arrival of "glacier loss day" underlines the growing impact of rising temperatures on one of Europe's most important natural water reserves.

Heatwave Pushes Ice Beyond the Tipping Point

Glacier Monitoring in Switzerland (GLAMOS) expects the country's glaciers to reach glacier loss day on Monday. From that point until autumn, every additional day of melting will reduce the glaciers' overall mass because no winter snow remains to protect the underlying ice.

The milestone typically arrives in mid-August. Since records began more than two decades ago, it has occurred earlier only once, during the exceptional summer of 2022.

Snow Deficit Fuels Rapid Retreat

Scientists say the accelerated melt is being driven by a combination of unusually low winter snowfall and exceptionally warm weather through late spring and early summer.

Swiss glaciers received around a quarter less snowfall than the average recorded during the previous decade. As the remaining snow disappears, darker glacier ice becomes exposed, absorbing more solar radiation and dramatically speeding up the melting process.

Warnings of a Changing Climate

GLAMOS experts describe current melt rates across the Alps as extraordinary, warning that glaciers are effectively running around three months ahead of what would be considered a healthy seasonal cycle.

Although Alpine glaciers have been retreating since the nineteenth century, researchers say the pace of ice loss has accelerated sharply in recent decades as temperatures continue to rise.

GLAMOS standard figures showing the current status of glacier mass balance. GLAMOS

Europe Faces Mounting Climate Pressure

The warning comes as temperatures above 40°C have scorched parts of southern Europe, placing hospitals, emergency services and critical infrastructure under increasing strain.

Scientists caution that if warming continues at its current pace, most Swiss glaciers could largely disappear by the end of the century, leaving only isolated remnants of ice. The consequences would extend far beyond the Alps, threatening freshwater supplies, ecosystems, hydropower generation and communities that depend on glacier-fed rivers across Europe.

Swiss glaciers melting at alarming rate in June as Europe faces extreme heat

Edited June 29Jun 29 by bannork

2 hours ago, bannork said:

Switzerland's glaciers have reached a worrying milestone

It's as if some of these 'eggsperts' don't know what happens at the end of an ice age..they do of course know but there is no money to be made from something that is totally in the hands of

'mother nature'

Its interesting how the illustrative graphics appear to have changed over the years to fit a narrative...

30 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Its interesting how the illustrative graphics appear to have changed over the years to fit a narrative...

Interesting how the meme's author carefully avoided to mention the exact date! 😂

Edited June 29Jun 29 by candide

On 6/24/2026 at 11:54 PM, Taboo2 said:

Here is an idea.....BUY ACs and install them. They work just fine.

What do you expectd from the contient that is desotrying their manaufing base to apease the climate GODs.

41 minutes ago, candide said:

Interesting how the meme's author carefully avoided to mention the exact date! 😂

Its true - and usually I avoid meme's... However, this is one of those which is illustrative rather than factual as there is no way the 'temps are exactly like that all over Europe five decades apart - I the image itself is imply highlighting manner in which higher temperatures are being reported with what appears to be an element of bias.

I'm not the first person to suggest that what once displayed as a light orange is now a dark red and clearly far more 'eye grabbing' when certain narratives are being pushed - skeptics highlight these issues.

I'd just like to see unadulterated comparable fact for fact with the factual scientific balanced explanations without any of the politicising which is incredibly difficult to come by these days.

Edited June 29Jun 29 by richard_smith237

On 6/23/2026 at 7:52 PM, nick supreme said:

Do they not have air conditioning in Europe?

I imagine it's banned, same as in the UK.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/insight/uk-heatwave-fuels-row-over-air-conditioning-restrictions/gm-GMC01BAA7B?gemSnapshotKey=GMC01BAA7B-snapshot-14&uxmode=ruby

Edited June 29Jun 29 by BritManToo

On 6/23/2026 at 3:22 PM, connda said:

Well, just give the government 50% of your paycheck in "Climate Taxes" and I'm sure that they'll solve the problem.

We do. They dont'.

Just saw this one X (in light of Germany being knoecked out of the World Cup by Paraguay):

You're called Hans, you're 31 years old, and you're coming out of the World Cup match.

Germany just got humiliated by Paraguay (there are more Germans on their team than on yours).

The next day at 6:45 a.m., you're back at work, taxed at 60% to fund the energy transition, gender changes, and social benefits handed out by your government to Eritrean migrants who declare themselves gay just to check the boxes.

This summer, you're spending it under 38 degrees without AC because your ecologist party labeled it a weapon of mass destruction.

At the supermarket, the bratwurst—your favorite sausages—have been replaced by subsidized gray soy KlimaFleisch, paid for by your taxes to save the penguins.

In your open-space office at 27 degrees, you declared yourself "diverse" because that's become the only way to hope for a promotion with affirmative action and DEI.

Hot water costs 18 cents per liter since Russian gas got cut off; you shower in exactly 3 minutes, stopwatch in hand, and your landlady sends you registered letters because your usage exceeds the federal energy threshold. You cry under the lukewarm water.

At 16, you were protesting nuclear power plants, and you went and elected Angela Merkel, who shut them down. Now Russian gas is cut off, your combustion engine industry is tanking, and electricity is a luxury: you're even thinking about burning your IKEA furniture to stay warm this winter.

Meanwhile, your distant cousin Friedrich in Paraguay pays 0% taxes, fires up his Ford V8 5-liter pickup, and gets ready to celebrate the victory around an asado while drinking German beer.

It's gonna be a <deleted>ty summer, Hans, and that's just the beginning.

20 hours ago, BritManToo said:

I imagine it's banned, same as in the UK.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/insight/uk-heatwave-fuels-row-over-air-conditioning-restrictions/gm-GMC01BAA7B?gemSnapshotKey=GMC01BAA7B-snapshot-14&uxmode=ruby

It's still oneverywhere that has it in the UK - just not allowed in idling cars f(rom what I've read) but I doubt there's any enforcement - unless by retarded KArens (who should not be allowed to vote, let alone police - imho).

Europe is probably starting to ban A/C for 2 reasons:

1. To kill old people with heat stroke who use up all the tax money in socialised healthcare.

2. To make everyone feel hot and miserable so the “global warming” scam feels more real and they can pass more tax increases.

These globalist elites are a proper bunch of ****.

Is bannork to gLoBaL waRMinGs what Talljohnbkk was to coLdvids?
Does he paste these walls of BS hourly or?

London could be heading for another scorching heatwave – and this one may refuse to let up! Forecasters are predicting the capital could bake for as long as ten days, with temperatures climbing as high as 32C after an already record-breaking spell of extreme heat.

According to BBC Weather, the hot weather is expected to begin this weekend, with temperatures forecast to reach 28C on Saturday. If the forecast holds, London could then remain under blazing conditions every day through to Monday, July 13. The forecast suggests daily highs of between 28C and 32C throughout the period. That would comfortably meet the criteria for an official London heatwave, which is declared when temperatures reach at least 28C on three consecutive days.

There is still room for the forecast to change over the coming days. But the prospect of another early July heatwave is also being backed by the Met Office, adding weight to predictions that the capital could be facing another prolonged spell of sweltering weather.

The warning comes just days after the UK smashed its provisional June temperature record. Fresh data confirmed the mercury reached an astonishing 37.7C at Lingwood in Norfolk on Friday, making it even hotter than first reported.

That reading overtook the previously announced 37.3C recorded at Santon Downham in Suffolk on the same day. It also surpassed the long-standing UK June record of 35.6C, which had stood since 1976, by more than 2C.

Such a leap is especially striking because UK temperature records have traditionally been broken by only tiny margins. Last week's heatwave repeatedly rewrote the record books as temperatures surged across the country.

Scientists also issued a stark warning. They said the June 2026 heatwave would have been virtually impossible 50 years ago, with human-driven climate change driving more frequent and more intense extreme heat events.

The extraordinary conditions prompted the Met Office to issue a rare red warning for extreme heat. It marked the first time the agency had kept such a warning in place for three consecutive days.

The heatwave left disruption in its wake. Schools and nurseries closed, ambulance services experienced record demand, hospitals declared critical incidents, train services were cancelled, court hearings were delayed and Kent introduced a hosepipe ban as water demand soared.

Deputy chief forecaster Tony Wisson said high pressure extending from the Azores is expected to strengthen across much of the UK toward the weekend. That should bring warm or very warm weather to many parts of England and Wales, although some rain could still affect the far north.

He said temperatures may approach the high 20Cs across parts of England, with some areas of the South East potentially reaching 30C. Wales is also expected to see temperatures climbing into the mid to high 20Cs.

Wisson said another period of heatwave conditions is becoming increasingly likely in some areas. However, he added that temperatures are not currently expected to reach the extreme highs or humidity experienced during last week's record-breaking spell.

London tipped to swelter in 10-day heatwave from this weekend

21 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Its true - and usually I avoid meme's... However, this is one of those which is illustrative rather than factual as there is no way the 'temps are exactly like that all over Europe five decades apart - I the image itself is imply highlighting manner in which higher temperatures are being reported with what appears to be an element of bias.

I'm not the first person to suggest that what once displayed as a light orange is now a dark red and clearly far more 'eye grabbing' when certain narratives are being pushed - skeptics highlight these issues.

I'd just like to see unadulterated comparable fact for fact with the factual scientific balanced explanations without any of the politicising which is incredibly difficult to come by these days.

well said its a very annoying trend

A rare "mega" heat dome is tightening its grip over the United States as Europe battles record-breaking heat, sending temperatures soaring and raising fresh concerns over the growing danger of extreme weather. Millions face blistering conditions as forecasters warn of intense heat and humidity across vast areas.

The extraordinary weather pattern has formed after two separate high-pressure systems merged into one powerful atmospheric event. One system is centred over the US Southwest, while the other is being influenced by the subtropical Atlantic, creating a combined heat dome that is trapping scorching air across a large portion of the country.

Meteorologists have described the merged system as an unusual atmospheric event. The heat dome is expected to keep temperatures locked at extreme levels by preventing cooler air from moving into affected regions.

The impact is already being felt across the United States. Temperatures are climbing above 100°F in many areas, while heat index values are forecast to exceed 105°F in several major cities, making conditions feel even more dangerous.

At the same time, Western Europe is enduring its own spell of exceptional heat. A powerful Omega block weather pattern has become established, drawing intensely hot air northwards from North Africa and preventing cooler air from breaking through.

That atmospheric block is allowing extreme temperatures to persist across the region instead of easing. As a result, record-breaking heat continues to grip parts of Europe.

Scientists say these events are becoming increasingly common. They report that a warming climate is causing heat domes to develop more frequently, last longer and become more intense than in the past.

Researchers link those changes to rising global temperatures driven by human-caused climate change. They say the continued burning of fossil fuels is making heatwaves hotter, longer-lasting and more frequent, increasing their impact around the world.

The growing intensity of these extreme weather events is also increasing the risks to public health. Prolonged exposure to high temperatures can lead to serious illnesses, including heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

In response, the US National Weather Service has issued Extreme Heat Watches for parts of the Northeast. The agency warned that dangerously hot and humid conditions could create significant health risks for people exposed to the heat.

Officials are urging residents to take precautions as temperatures continue to rise. People are being advised to stay hydrated, avoid strenuous activity during the hottest part of the day and seek shade or cool indoor spaces whenever possible.

Mega heat dome grips US as Europe swelters in record heat