Last week’s heatwave across western Europe broke national records for June maximum temperatures as well as setting new all-time highs. The UK recorded a provisional high of 37.7C at Lingwood, Norfolk, on Friday 27 June, shattering the previous June record of 35.6C in 1976. This kind of margin is exceptional; temperature records are normally beaten by 0.1 or 0.2 degrees rather than, as in this case, a whole 2.1 degrees.
Germany recorded 41.7C on 28 of June in Coschen, beating the previous all-time record three days in a row. The Netherlands broke its June record with 39.4C on 26 June, while Hungary broke its all-time record, with 42C recorded in Szécsény on the 30 June.
In addition to the daytime maxima, these countries experienced tropical nights, a term used to describe nights where the minimum temperature does not fall below 20C. The highest minimum temperature recorded during this period was 29.4C in East Saxony, Germany. France experienced multiple days with maximum temperatures over 40C, leading to nuclear power plants shutting down. With the exceptionally high humidity levels, these tropical nights were widespread.
This week, north-western China experienced temperature maxima around 45C on Monday and 47C on Tuesday, marking the beginning of a week-long heatwave expected to last until the 7 July. Temperatures in the Yuli and Ruoqiang regions are expected to continue exceeding 45C each day this week, with extreme heat warnings issued. Meanwhile, maximum temperatures in some areas of Ruoqiang, Qiemo, Korla, Yuli, Luntai, and the Yanqi Basin will rise to over 40C. This heatwave is caused by a persistent high pressure system originating from the continent, bringing dry air to the region and preventing cooler air masses from replacing it. In such an arid region, the lack of soil moisture means that there is no moisture to evaporate, thus the air is directly heated.
Local people and businesses have been urged to take appropriate measures to avoid symptoms such as heatstroke by avoiding manual work outside and taking care of the elderly and vulnerable. Authorities have also advised people to consider fire prevention methods due to the excessive heat and high risk of fire spreading. Road surface temperatures are predicted to exceed 60C, which could lead to asphalt deformation and disruption on national highways. Such high road temperatures increase the risk of breakdowns and cargo spoilages. Speed restrictions have been put in place for railways due tohigh track temperatures.
