How Europe’s heatwave is impacting Spain, Italy, and other popular holiday destinations
Meteorologists are warning temperatures will hit new record highs across southern Europe this week.
The latest forecasts show peaks of 44C (111F) on multiple days, with temperatures consistently in the high 30s and low 40s across the region.
The Foreign Office has issued extreme weather warnings for Britons travelling to Italy, Spain or Greece, advising them to heed local advice but that they won’t be compensated if they choose to cancel their trips.
The European Space Agency has also warned other countries, including France, Germany and Poland, will face extreme heat this week.
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It is forecast to intensify in the next two days and could last into August, the World Meteorological Organisation has said.
A new anticyclone, named Charon after the Greek mythological boatman who ferries souls to the underworld, is behind the heatwave.
So, what’s going on where you are heading on holiday?
Check the latest weather forecast where you’re going here
Pic: AP
Spain
The heatwave in Spain is still set to intensify, with temperatures predicted to reach 44C in the Guadalquivir valley near Seville.
It comes as wildfires continue to burn out of control on the Spanish Canary Island of La Palma. More than 4,000 residents were forced to flee their homes on Saturday.
The fire has affected more than 4,600 hectares (11,300 acres) of forest in the north of the island.
More than 300 firefighters, nine water-carrying helicopters and two planes are being used to try to extinguish the blaze.
Spain’s Aemet weather agency said the heatwave this week “will affect a large part of the countries bordering the Mediterranean”.
The agency says it expects temperatures to drop sometime on Wednesday.
Italy
Hot weather alerts have been issued for at least nine cities in Italy as the country braces for record temperatures.
Highs of 45C (113F) have been predicted.
The alerts are in place for major tourist destinations including Rome, Florence and Bologna as well as Palermo in Sicily and Bari in the southeast of the peninsula.
Pic: AP
Italy’s health minister Orazio Schillaci urged people to take care when visiting tourist hotspots including Rome’s famous ruins.
“Going to the Colosseum when it is 43C (109.4F) is not advisable, especially for an elderly person,” he told Il Messaggero newspaper, saying people should stay under cover and avoid direct sunlight between 11am and 6pm.
Meteorologists have said Europe’s highest recorded temperature of 48.8C (119.8F), registered in Sicily two years ago, could be exceeded in the coming days on the Italian island of Sardinia.
Power outages were hitting parts of Rome as electric grids struggled due to heavier demand from air conditioners.
Greece
Temperatures in Greece are predicted to keep rising this week before hitting highs of 43C (109F) in Athens on Saturday as a second heatwave hits.
Wildfires in two areas around the capital have triggered evacuation orders for at least six seaside communities and the Greek meteorological service has warned of a high risk of fire this week.
The first blaze, which swept through forest land in Dervenochoria 19 miles north of Athens, is still intensifying.
Another fire, which began in the village of Kouvaras 17 miles southeast of the Greek capital, has spread to the coastal towns of Anavyssos, Lagonisi and Saronida and forced people to flee their homes.
Pic: AP
The country’s weather agency says the heat won’t change too dramatically before Wednesday, with highs of 39C (102F) in the east and 41C (106F) in the west.
Pic: AP
But it predicts that from Thursday a new heatwave will engulf most areas of the country, with minimum temperatures reaching up to 43C (109F) on the mainland, 41C (106F) on the Ionian islands and 38C (100F) on the Aegean islands.
Tours of the Acropolis monuments have resumed normal opening hours after closing for three days during the hottest part of the day over the weekend.
Cyprus
Similarly to Greece, a second heatwave at the end of this week will bring temperatures of 40C (104F) to Cyprus.
Those flying into Paphos can expect temperatures in the early 30s, with Larnaca in the north slightly higher.
According to the Cyprus Department of Meteorology: “The maximum temperature is expected to reach around 40 degrees over inland areas and around 32 degrees Celsius over the highest mountainous areas.
“During Friday and Saturday the temperature is expected to increase further.”
Turkey
Temperatures in Antalya are currently the highest in Turkey at 39C (102F), followed closely by Adana at 37C (98F).
It is not included in the Foreign Office’s extreme weather travel advice, but a second heatwave is due to hit elsewhere by the weekend.
Istanbul, Turkey
Croatia
Similarly in Croatia, holidaymakers can expect temperatures in the mid-to-low 30s, with areas around Split currently the hottest. The country will hit by even warmer weather as the weekend approaches but is not included in UK heightened travel advice.
Wildfires in Grebastica on the coast caused damage last week.
Read more:
British holidaymakers are changing their plans as temperatures surge
France
Extreme temperatures are not expected in most of France according to the national forecaster Meteo France.
An orange weather warning, the second-highest alert, has been issued for some areas along the Mediterranean coast.
Temperatures are predicted to reach 34-36C around Marseille by Wednesday, with Paris staying slightly cooler at 29C (84F).
Poland
Storm warnings are in place across southern Poland.
Near Krakow, forecasters predict severe thunder and lightning as well as winds of up to 55mph (90km) and 2 inches (50mm) of rain.
Temperatures are set to peak at 26C (79F) on Wednesday following highs of 35C (95F) last week.
Germany
Forecasters predict temperatures will also rise slightly in Germany.
Highs of 25C (77F) are expected while yellow weather warnings are in place in some regions due to wind gusts.
USA and Mexico
Outside of Europe – southern US states and northern areas of Mexico are also experiencing heatwave conditions, with Phoenix in Arizona expected to surpass its hottest-ever temperature on Tuesday after 43.3C (110F) was recorded on Monday.
Soaring temperatures in California and other parts of the south are due to continue into next week.
Death Valley, California
The east coast has been hit by flash floods, with at least three dead in Pennsylvania, and storms in the Midwest have left people in Kansas and Missouri without power.
Several flights were cancelled and delayed around New York on Sunday, with Canadian wildfires still causing heat and air pollution issues in the north of the US.
UK
While Europe is sweltering, forecasters say there is a low chance of the UK having a heatwave this summer, with the country not seeing any hot summer weather until mid-August.
World
Tomorrowland: ‘Devastating’ blaze destroys main stage at major festival – two days before it was due to begin
A huge fire has destroyed the main stage of a major festival in Belgium – two days before it was due to begin.
Tomorrowland is a dance music event as big as Glastonbury – and David Guetta was due to perform.
Footage showed flames and thick plumes of black smoke engulfing the stage and spreading to nearby woodland on Wednesday.
The fire gutted the main stage
Fire crews attempt to bring the blaze under control
The annual festival in the town of Boom, north of Brussels, is one of the biggest in Europe and attracts about 400,000 people over two consecutive weekends.
It is famous for its immersive and elaborate designs and attracts big names within dance music – including Guetta, best known for tracks When Love Takes Over and Titanium.
Dutch DJs Martin Garrix and Charlotte de Witte were also due to perform, along with the likes of Swedish House Mafia, Eric Prydz and Alok.
Black smoke could be seen rising into the sky
The festival’s website described the creative elements which went into the elaborate main stage.
The theme, described as Orbyz, was “set in a magical universe made entirely out of ice” and “full of mythical creatures”.
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Organisers said no one was injured in the blaze but confirmed “our beloved main stage has been severely damaged”, adding they were “devastated”.
Spokesperson Debby Wilmsen added: “We received some truly terrible news today. A fire broke out on the Tomorrowland site … and our main stage was essentially destroyed there, which is truly awful.
“That’s a stage that took years to build, with so much love and passion. So I think a lot of people are devastated.”
Spokesperson Debby Wilmsen told reporters ‘a lot of people are devastated’
Despite the fire, Tomorrowland organisers said they were still expecting 38,000 festivalgoers at DreamVille, the event’s campsite.
Israel has shown little respect for international borders since becoming the unrivalled military hegemon of the Middle East. Today that meant an Israeli airstrike on a government building in Damascus.
Israel says its attack on a Syrian defence ministry facility was intended as a warning to the new government: stay out of the part of southern Syria we have occupied or else.
Israel has moved into parts of the south of the country, built military bases and declared a line of control.
Smoke rises from an Israeli airstrike that hit the Syrian Defence Ministry in Damascus. Pic: AP
On Monday, Syrian tanks heading south to try and restore order following an outbreak of factional fighting were attacked by Israeli warplanes.
“The presence of such vehicles in southern Syria could pose a threat to Israel,” stated the Israel Defence Forces.
In reality, Syria’s ageing tanks pose minimal threat to Israel’s state-of-the art military.
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Syrian presenter interrupted by Israeli airstrike
The Syrian armour was attacked as it entered the area around Sweida in the Druze heartland of southern Syria following factional fighting there.
The flare-up reportedly began with clashes between Bedouin and Druze groups that ended in scores killed.
The background to the escalation is complicated.
At least three Druze militia groups are divided in their loyalties to different religious leaders and differ over how they should respond to calls to assimilate into the new post-revolutionary Syria.
Druze from Syria and Israel protest on the Israeli-Syrian border.
Pic: AP
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Israel is becoming more and more involved in Syria’s internecine war and says it will remain there indefinitely “to protect our communities and thwart any threat”.
Its critics say Israel is operating a policy of divide and rule in Syria, weakening the fledgling government and creating a buffer zone to protect the border with the Golan Heights – originally Syrian territory that it has occupied and annexed for almost half a century.
Since the fall of the Assad regime, Israel has used airstrikes to destroy of much of Syria’s military capability weakening its ability to impose control on outlying regions. This makes it more not less likely Israel will have a volatile unstable state on its northern border.
Syrian security forces walk along a street in the southern Druze city of Sweida. Pic: Reuters
America and European powers have chosen to normalise relations with the new government in Damascus and lift sanctions.
In contrast Israel has occupied its territory, bombed its military and today hit one of its government buildings in the capital with an airstrike.
Since its crushing military campaigns against Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran, Israel has emerged as the unchallenged military power of the region.
There is however a limit to what blunt force can achieve alone. It requires diplomacy to achieve lasting gains and Israel’s repeated assaults on multiple neighbours combined with its relentless campaign in Gaza are winning it few friends in the region.
Israeli airstrikes have targeted the Syrian military headquarters in Damascus amid renewed clashes in the country.
The gate of the Ministry of Defence in the Syrian capital was targeted by two warning missiles from an Israeli reconnaissance aircraft.
State-owned Elekhbariya TV said the Israeli strike had wounded two civilians, the Reuters news agency reported.
Smoke rises from Syria’s defence ministry building in Damascus. Pic: Reuters
It came as Israeli airstrikes targeted security and army vehicles in the southern city of Sweida, where the Druze faith is one of the major religious groups – marking the third consecutive day Israel has struck Syrian forces.
The Israeli military confirmed it had “struck the entrance gate” in Damascus – and that it would be monitoring “actions being taken against Druze civilians in southern Syria”.
The Israeli airstrike targeted Syria’s military headquarters. Pic: AP
Why Israel is getting involved in Syria’s internal fighting
Israel has shown little respect for international borders since becoming the unrivalled military hegemon of the Middle East. Today that meant an Israeli airstrike on a government building in Damascus.
Israel says its attack on a Syrian defence ministry facility was intended as a warning to the new government: stay out of the part of southern Syria we have occupied or else.
Israel has moved into parts of the south of the country, built military bases and declared a line of control.
On Monday, Syrian tanks heading south to try and restore order following an outbreak of factional fighting were attacked by Israeli warplanes.
“The presence of such vehicles in southern Syria could pose a threat to Israel,” stated the Israel Defence Forces.
In reality, Syria’s ageing tanks pose minimal threat to Israel’s state-of-the art military.
Local media said Sweida and nearby villages were coming under heavy artillery and mortar fire on Wednesday, according to Reuters.
The clashes marked the collapse of a ceasefire between Syrian government forces and Druze armed groups, with Israel also warning it would increase its involvement.
Syria said its forces had responded to being fired upon. Pic: Reuters
Israel said it was acting to protect the Druze groups through its attacks on convoys of Syrian forces.
Syria blamed militias in Sweida for violating a ceasefire agreement which had only been reached on Tuesday.
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A statement from its defence ministry said: “Military forces continue to respond to the source of fire inside the city of Sweida, while adhering to rules of engagement to protect residents, prevent harm, and ensure the safe return of those who left the city back to their homes.”
Israel’s defence minister Israel Katz said the military will continue to strike Syrian forces until they withdraw and should “leave Druze alone”, according to local reports.
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