Germany prepared for another day of extreme temperatures on Saturday after recording its hottest June day on record, as a deadly heatwave that has swept across Western Europe continued its march eastwards.
A preliminary temperature reading of 41.3 degrees Celsius was recorded near the city of Saarbruecken close to the French border on Friday, according to Germany’s National Meteorological Service, surpassing previous June records.
The agency issued extreme heat warnings covering almost the entire country and urged residents to conserve water as soaring temperatures placed pressure on public services and infrastructure.
Britain, France, Switzerland and Germany have all experienced record June temperatures in recent days, with forecasters warning that the heatwave could continue breaking records as it moves towards Poland and other parts of Central Europe.
“The heatwave is going to peak at the weekend, well over 40 degrees in some parts of Germany,” said Karsten Brandt, a meteorologist at weather forecasting website Donnerwetter.de.
The heat has already claimed dozens of lives in France, where temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius disrupted rail services and electricity generation, prompted alcohol bans, forced schools to suspend activities and led to the postponement of outdoor events.
In Germany, concerns have grown over the impact of the heat on transport infrastructure, with authorities warning of buckling roads, swelling rail tracks and increased wildfire risks.
Organisers of the Ironman European Championship in Frankfurt announced that Sunday’s long-distance triathlon would feature shortened cycling and running routes to protect participants from the extreme conditions.
Germany’s national rail operator, Deutsche Bahn, offered passengers the option of cancelling long-distance journeys without penalty through early next week due to the heatwave.
The company said its infrastructure faced heightened risks from prolonged sun exposure as well as thunderstorms and wildfires that could affect signals, tracks and overhead power lines.
National Express also announced the suspension of services on its Rhine-Ruhr-Express route on Saturday afternoon in North Rhine-Westphalia as a precaution against potential disruptions.
Andre Berghegger, Chief Executive of the German Association of Towns and Municipalities, called on citizens to use water responsibly as demand increases during the heatwave.
“We should rely on voluntary cooperation as long as possible; local authorities should only issue bans if that doesn’t work,” he told the Neue Osnabruecker Zeitung newspaper.
Meteorologists expect the most severe heat to begin easing after the weekend, although heavy thunderstorms are forecast for Sunday.
Across Europe, the heatwave has forced the closure of cultural landmarks, damaged crops and placed additional strain on hospitals struggling to cope with rising admissions.
According to the Reuters Climate Monitor, temperatures have risen as much as 18 degrees Celsius above seasonal averages due to an atmospheric phenomenon known as an Omega block, which traps a mass of hot air over affected regions for prolonged periods.
The unusually high temperatures have fuelled a surge in demand for electric fans and air conditioning units across Europe, particularly in Northern European countries where homes are traditionally designed to retain heat rather than keep it out.
The World Meteorological Organization said the heatwave is expected to shift towards Central Europe and the Balkans by the end of the month.
Scientists said the extreme temperatures would have been virtually impossible without man-made climate change, which has dramatically increased the likelihood of unusually warm nights compared with conditions just two decades ago.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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