health
How Europe is Grappling with Extreme Heat as Red Alerts Issued in Britain, France, Spain and Italy
Several European countries issued red weather alerts as a fresh bout of extreme heat pushed temperatures beyond 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit).
TL;DR
- Multiple European countries have issued red weather alerts as temperatures surpass 40 degrees Celsius.
- The U.K.'s Met Office issued a rare red extreme heat warning, anticipating record-breaking temperatures and significant health impacts.
- France has reported at least 18 deaths and ordered hundreds of schools to close due to the prolonged and intense heatwave.
- Experts link the increasing severity of heatwaves to climate change, driven by the burning of fossil fuels, noting that Europe is warming faster than other continents.
- Rising greenhouse gases are expected to increase the severity of heatwaves and potentially intensify other extreme weather events like droughts and floods.