A heat wave has hit large parts of Europe this week, with temperatures well over 40 degrees in several places. The heat wave looks set to reach its peak in southern Europe tomorrow, before moving north towards the UK this weekend. It is over the weekend that the weather system can snow on the Norwegian coast. – Now it looks like we get the remnants of this heat wave as it moves northeast, says on-duty meteorologist at the Meteorological Institute, Martin Granerød. Extreme heat is not expected in Norway, but it can be temperatures up to 30 degrees in southern Norway on Tuesday, says the meteorologist. Photo: Screenshot / Meteorological Institute Great Britain prepares for record heat In England and Wales, people have flocked to the beaches in recent days. In some places, the temperature has approached 35 degrees, not far from the record of 38.7 degrees from 2019. Photo: Screenshot / Met Office The hottest days are still waiting. The Meteorological Institute in the UK says there is a 20 percent chance that Monday can show the warmest temperature in the country’s history. The institute has already sent out a red danger warning for heat, a warning that has only been useful twice before, according to the BBC. It has been observed that birds have fainted in the air due to heat stroke. The UK has experienced hot days. The heat wave is expected to be at its hottest over the weekend. Photo: Ben Birchall / AP The coming heat is feared to hit critical infrastructure and cause life. In London, Mayor Sadiq Khan has activated the protocol for extreme weather to protect the most vulnerable residents. The protocol is usually only used during extreme cold. “This heat wave can be dangerous for everyone, but for people who live in harsh conditions, there is a greater risk,” Khan told Sky News. The Mayor of London has activated the protocol for extreme weather. Usually the protocol is useful during extreme cold. Photo: Alberto Pezzali / AP Spain: The longest heat wave measured Further south in Europe, temperatures have passed well over 40 degrees in the shade in several countries in recent days. The heat wave is the second on the continent in less than a month. In Spain, almost the entire country is affected by the heat, something that is particularly unusual. A dog in Andalusia tries to quench its thirst. Spanish meteorologists say that this is the longest heat wave they have measured. Photo: Paul White / AP Spanish meteorologists sound alarm about extreme heat in 16 of 17 regions in the country. Only the Canary Islands are outside the danger warning. – In Spain, red danger warnings have been sent out and temperatures are expected to reach 44 degrees in some places, says meteorologist Granerød. The Spanish meteorologists have never observed such a long heat wave since they started keeping such statistics in 1975, writes NTB. Firefighters are trying to put out a forest fire outside Madrid. Spain is experiencing its second heatwave in less than a month. Photo: Bernat Armangue / AP Hundreds of forest fires It is expected that the heat will peak in France and Spain on Thursday. France has banned fireworks on National Day in an attempt to reduce the number of forest fires in the country. With heat, drought and strong gusts of wind, hundreds of forest fires have been registered across Portugal, Spain and France. In France, more than 6,500 people have been evacuated from the municipality of Landira south of Bordeaux. More than 800 firefighters are battling forest fires in the Gironde region, southwest of France. Photo: AP In Portugal, more than 600 people have been evacuated and 120 people under medical treatment, writes the news agency AP. 2,300 firefighters carry out firefighting work. In Portugal, 80 percent of the mainland is at high risk, according to the Meteorological Institute in the country. Firefighters put out a forest fire in Santarem north of Lisbon. In Portugal, 80 percent of the mainland is at high risk of forest fires. Photo: RODRIGO ANTUNES / Reuters
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