Southern Europe Faces Early Heatwave, Public Warned of Extreme Conditions

ROME, Italy — Southern Europe is bracing for a severe heatwave, with temperatures expected to exceed 40 degrees Celsius this weekend. Countries including Italy, Greece, France, Spain, and Portugal are under health and fire warnings as the heat intensifies.

Seville, a city in Spain, is forecasted to hit a staggering 42C on Sunday. This heatwave, which BBC Weather describes as “very intense” for June, is being driven by hot air from North Africa that is affecting holiday destinations in the Balkans, including Croatia.

Emergency services in Spain are on alert for a surge in heatstroke cases, especially among vulnerable populations such as children, the elderly, and those with chronic illnesses. “It always gets super hot in Madrid, but what surprises me is how early it’s happening – we’re still in June,” said Marina, 22, who spoke with Reuters.

Residents in several Italian cities, including Rome, Milan, and Venice, have been advised to stay indoors between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. local time. “There is no wind, a lot of humidity, we are sweating, and I’m suffocating at night,” noted Alejandra Echeverria, a 40-year-old tourist from Mexico in Venice.

Meanwhile, France has been under a heatwave for over a week, with orange alerts issued for southern regions. In Marseille, municipal swimming pools are being opened for free until the end of the heatwave, and some have called for schools to close to protect student health.

Wildfires have already been reported in Greece, particularly around coastal towns near Athens. While linking individual extreme weather events to climate change remains complex, scientists emphasize that heatwaves are becoming both more common and more intense, with June heatwaves now ten times more likely compared to pre-industrial times, according to World Weather Attribution.