Western Europe is preparing for another wave of exhausting heat, with temperatures on weekends expected to reach 45 degrees Celsius. This comes just two weeks after an unusually early and intense heat wave that has already set temperature records.
Warm, dry air from North Africa has created a dome over the Iberian Peninsula, which is holding and pushing the heat toward France, Switzerland, Italy, and Germany. Temperatures of 35 degrees Celsius and above are expected to persist throughout the next week in these countries.
Such high temperatures have surprised both locals and many tourists who previously avoided traveling in July and August due to the heat, expecting milder weather in Western Europe at the start of the season. At the end of May, a heat wave had already broken records across the region, including in the UK, France, Ireland, and Portugal.
Challenges due to lack of air conditioners
One of the biggest challenges in combating summer heat in Western Europe is the lack of air conditioners. Traditionally mild summer temperatures, along with strict building codes, make it difficult to install air conditioning systems. Most establishments in Western Europe do not have air conditioning, with the exception of four- and five-star hotels, some modern residential complexes, museums, and restaurants.
Melanie Goldstein, a 54-year-old resident of North Carolina who visited London with her husband during the May heat wave, said that in their hotel room, they only had a small fan that circulated the hot air. “It was unbearable because there was no wind. It felt much hotter than it actually was,” she noted. Although the couple had traveled to Italy and Greece in recent summers, where temperatures were even higher, at least there was the sea and air conditioning.
This week’s heat wave is expected to be more intense and widespread than the one in May. In France, temperatures of up to 40 degrees Celsius are anticipated on weekends. The Mayor of Paris, Emmanuel Grégoire, has permitted bathing in the Canal Saint-Martin starting Wednesday.
According to Clarín