Historic heatwaves sweep Europe, shattering records from Iberia to Balkans

People cool off at a cafe in Madrid, Spain, June 21, 2026. (Photo by Gustavo Valiente/Xinhua)

Authorities across Southern and Western Europe have issued heat alerts affecting tens of millions of people. France placed 49 departments under red alert, while Italy issued its highest-level warnings for several major cities. Temperatures in parts of Portugal, Spain and Italy have exceeded 40 degrees Celsius, while Germany and Belgium have approached long-standing June records.

MADRID, June 22 (Xinhua) -- A powerful and unusually early heatwave has swept across much of Europe, sending temperatures toward or beyond 40 degrees Celsius from the Iberian Peninsula to the Balkans. The grilling weather is disrupting daily life, fueling wildfire risks and prompting warnings that extreme heat is becoming a feature of the continent's climate.

Authorities across Southern and Western Europe have issued heat alerts affecting tens of millions of people. France placed 49 departments under red alert, while Italy issued its highest-level warnings for several major cities. Temperatures in parts of Portugal, Spain and Italy have exceeded 40 degrees Celsius, while Germany and Belgium have approached long-standing June records.

HEAT DOME DRIVES EXTREME CONDITIONS

Meteorologists attribute the heatwave to a powerful "heat dome" stretching across Western and Central Europe. The system has trapped hot air originating from North Africa while preventing cooler Atlantic weather systems from bringing relief.

"This phenomenon works like the lid of a saucepan: it traps the heated air and compresses it toward the ground," said David Dehenauw, a meteorologist at the Royal Meteorological Institute of Belgium. "It has never been this hot, for so long, this early in the year," he added.

The European Commission's Joint Research Centre forecast temperature anomalies well above seasonal norms across Western and Central Europe for the coming week, with the strongest deviations over France and the Iberian Peninsula.

In Belgium, temperatures near 35 degrees Celsius threatened records dating back to 1976. Germany's southwest braced for temperatures near 39 degrees Celsius, close to regional June records.

Portugal's Institute for Sea and Atmosphere forecast highs of up to 42 degrees Celsius in inland areas, as a mass of hot air from North Africa combined with a persistent high-pressure system over the Iberian Peninsula.

A woman shields herself with a parasol while walking near the Colosseum amid a heatwave in Rome, Italy, June 21, 2026. (Xinhua/Li Jing)

Italy's Ministry of Health placed eight major cities -- including Rome, Milan, Florence and Bologna -- under its highest red alert level, indicating health risks for the entire population.

Romania issued yellow heat warnings across 20 counties, while Bulgaria's meteorological agency recorded maximum temperatures between 29 and 34 degrees Celsius nationwide.

DISRUPTIONS SPREAD ACROSS EUROPE

The heatwave has disrupted transport, education and public activities across the continent.

In Spain, wildfires along the Madrid-Barcelona corridor disrupted high-speed rail services, causing delays of more than two hours. Madrid authorities also canceled a planned public screening of the FIFA Club World Cup match between Spain and Saudi Arabia, citing health concerns.

People walk with an umbrella while visiting the Aqueduct of Segovia in Segovia, Spain, June 21, 2026.(Xinhua/Meng Dingbo)

In France, 845 schools were ordered to close, while another 1,800 adjusted schedules to avoid the hottest hours of the day. National rail operator SNCF warned that high temperatures were placing additional strain on rail infrastructure. Two minors were found dead in a family car on Monday as temperatures in the area had been forecast to reach a maximum of 39 degrees Celsius.

In Germany, lightning struck a tent camp during a handball festival, injuring nine people. High temperatures also damaged part of the A1 motorway north of Hamburg, causing major traffic disruptions.

In Italy, health authorities warned of a growing number of "tropical nights," with temperatures remaining above 25 degrees Celsius after dark. Officials increased monitoring of hospitals, nursing homes and vulnerable residents as temperatures exceeded 40 degrees Celsius in parts of Sardinia.

The prolonged heat has also heightened wildfire risks across Southern Europe.

Civil protection agencies in Sicily and Sardinia have issued fire warnings, while in Bosnia and Herzegovina, firefighters battled a rapidly spreading wildfire near Mostar over the weekend after flames moved through dry grassland and low vegetation, threatening nearby settlements.

According to European Union data, 899 recorded wildfires have burned more than 105,000 hectares across the bloc since January, nearly 50 percent above the 20-year average. The European Forest Fire Information System has forecast extreme fire weather conditions across parts of France, Spain and Portugal in the coming days.

SCIENTISTS WARN OF A LONG-TERM SHIFT

Scientists say the current heatwave is not an isolated event but part of a broader warming trend driven by decades of rising greenhouse gas emissions.

German climatologist Friederike Otto said continued greenhouse gas emissions are increasing the likelihood of more frequent and intense heatwaves and other forms of extreme weather. "2026 will certainly be one of the warmest years on record," she said.

People fetch and drink water near the Colosseum amid a heatwave in Rome, Italy, June 21, 2026. (Xinhua/Li Jing)

In Italy, meteorologist Lorenzo Tedici noted that some regions are recording anomalies of around 10 degrees Celsius above already elevated climate averages, highlighting the pace at which Europe's climate is changing.

The effects are increasingly visible in surrounding seas as well. Environmental experts in Greece warned that Mediterranean Sea surface temperatures now range between 25 and 30 degrees Celsius, several degrees above long-term averages, contributing to environmental stress.

Unusually warm sea temperatures have been linked to a large algal bloom near Thessaloniki in Greece, highlighting concerns about marine heatwaves and their impact on coastal ecosystems. "The sea is no longer just warm," said Yannis Katsoyiannis, an environmental technology expert in Greece. "It is staying warm."

He warned that "marine heatwaves" are intensifying globally and that prolonged elevated sea temperatures could cause lasting damage to marine ecosystems and biodiversity, with local mussel farming already showing signs of stress.

The impact of prolonged heat is increasingly being felt beyond public health and emergency services.

People cool off in the sea in Ladispoli, Italy, June 21, 2026. (Photo by Alberto Lingria/Xinhua)

Trade credit insurer Allianz Trade has warned that if heatwave patterns continue, extreme heat could cost Germany up to 131 billion U.S. dollars by 2030, cutting economic output by as much as 3 percent. For Greece, the company projected losses of up to 15.1 billion dollars, with economic output falling by as much as 4.1 percent, investment declining by 8 percent, and unemployment rising by 1 percentage point.

Allianz Trade described heatwaves as "no longer a short-term weather phenomenon but a structural economic shock."

For climate scientists and policymakers alike, the heatwave offers another reminder that Europe is entering an era in which extreme heat events are becoming more frequent, longer-lasting and more disruptive.