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Africa

Europe hit by record-breaking early-summer heatwave

Spain, France, Italy and Greece are facing an unseasonal early-summer heatwave as public-health authorities issue red warnings. Europe's power grid is straining under peak loads while the farming sector flags early drought risks.

European city skyline with summer haze and hot sky in daylight
Photo: Nikita Belokhonov / Pexels
Al Jazeera1 d ago

According to Al Jazeera, temperatures in Spain, France, Italy and Greece rose 10-12 degrees Celsius above the late-May seasonal norms. Spain's meteorology agency AEMET said Seville passed 42 degrees and issued a red health alert for Madrid. Météo-France said the southern French regions broke a historical May record of 38 degrees.

The European Environment Agency said 'climate models projecting more frequent early-summer heat episodes are showing a clear signal.' European grid operator association ENTSO-E said peak power demand climbed 18 percent above the May average and that air-conditioning load was shifting nighttime peaks. The European Commission's agriculture directorate registered a rise in crop-stress indicators across southern Spain and Italy.

The French Health Ministry said red-alert emergency response plans were active in 14 regions. Weather analysts warned that the high-pressure ridge would move over the Balkans toward Türkiye in the coming week. This article is not health or climate-policy advice.

EnergyRegulationAfricaAl Jazeera
This article is an AI-curated summary of the original story published by Al Jazeera. The illustration is a stock photo by Nikita Belokhonov from Pexels and is not from the original story.

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