Western Europe remained in the grip of a deadly heatwave on Wednesday, with at least 50 weather-related deaths in France, Britain recording its hottest June day, and temperatures in Paris hitting a June record of 40.9°C as a weather pattern known as an “Omega block” trapped extreme heat over the region.France recorded its hottest day since records began nearly 80 years ago, when temperatures peaked at 44.3°C in the southwestern town of Pissos on Tuesday. At least 48 people have died in France from drowning since the onset of the heatwave while trying to cool off, authorities said, and two young children were killed by heat in a car.Britain logged its highest temperature for June, reaching 36.1°C in southern England, following only the second extreme heat warning ever issued. Hundreds of schools closed or shortened their day as officials warned that high temperatures could endanger even healthy people.
Omega block traps extreme heat
The heatwave is being driven by a weather pattern known as an “Omega block” — named after the Greek letter Ω — with a bulge of warmer, settled high pressure held between two cooler low pressure systems. Under normal conditions, the jet stream carries weather systems steadily from west to east. But during an Omega block, that flow becomes disrupted, trapping hot, still air over the same area.Omega blocks typically last between three and 10 days, but can persist for weeks. The phenomenon has pushed temperatures as much as 18°C above normal, according to the Reuters Climate Monitor.
Nuclear output cut, power outages hit France
France’s nuclear power plants, which supply most of the country’s electricity, cut output by about 7 per cent of total demand as high temperatures limited access to cooling water. A transformer failure near Quimper left 68,000 households without power, with up to 106,000 clients affected overnight.EDF shut down reactor number two at the Golfech nuclear plant after water temperatures in the Garonne river reached 28°C, the legal limit for cooling. Output at Nogent-sur-Seine and Bugey was also reduced.
Heatwave across Europe
Italy’s health ministry placed 16 cities on its highest heat alert and warned the heatwave could intensify further, peaking between Sunday and Monday. Temperatures could reach 41°C between Tuscany and Emilia, with perceived temperatures as high as 45°C in coastal areas.Spain reported two elderly people had died of heatstroke after days of temperatures exceeding 40°C, though conditions began to ease on Wednesday. An extreme heat warning was in place across the Netherlands, while Switzerland opened air-conditioned theatres for free daytime cinema screenings.The Eiffel Tower and the Louvre announced early closing times, and the Changing of the Guard outside Buckingham Palace was scaled back. The Uffizi Galleries in Florence halted ticket sales to fix an air conditioning malfunction. Paris Fashion Week saw labels including Dior and Rick Owens change their schedules to hold shows in the morning.Scientists say recurring heatwaves are a clear marker of global warming. Europe is warming at more than twice the global average, making prolonged heat episodes increasingly likely. The conditions are comparable to the 2003 heatwave that lasted 16 days and caused an estimated 80,000 excess deaths across Europe.
