All-Time Heat Records Broken in France; London Breaks U.K. July Heat Record; Europe Heat Wave Continues

Jon Erdman
Published: July 2,2015

A European heat wave is smashing monthly and even a few all-time records. The heat has now become more widespread and will last in some areas into next week.
Wednesday afternoon, the temperature at London's Heathrow Airport skyrocketed to 36.7 degrees Celsius -- 98.1 degrees Fahrenheit -- a July heat record not only there but for anywhere in the U.K., according to the U.K. Met Office.

Six-year-old Harvey enjoys playing with water as the Wimbledon Tennis Championships are seen on a huge screen in London, Wednesday, July 1, 2015.
(AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

The previous U.K. July heat record was set almost nine years ago -- 36.5 degrees C in Wisley on July 19, 2006. It was also the hottest day in Wimbledon history, topping the previous record of 34.6 degrees C on June 26, 1976.
Paris, France saw its temperature soar to 39.7 degrees Celsius -- 103.5 degrees Fahrenheit -- Wednesday. This is the second hottest reading there dating to 1873, according to Météo-France.
Météo-France says three French locations chalked up all-time record highs Wednesday, topping their highest temperatures from either the 2003 or 2006 heat waves:
- Boulogne-sur-Mer (35.4 degrees Celsius or 95.7 degrees Fahrenheit) beat their previous record from Aug. 11, 2003 (34.8C).
- Dieppe (38.3C or 100.9F) beat their previous record from July 19, 2006 (37C).
- Melun (39.4C or 102.9F) beat their previous record from Aug. 12, 2003 (38.9C).
An intrusion of Atlantic air behind a cool front took the top off the heat in the U.K. and western France Thursday.
However, eastern France, eastern Belgium, eastern parts of The Netherlands and western Germany continued to roast. Maastricht, in the far southeast of The Netherlands, rose to 37.6 degrees Celsius (99.7F). Kleine Brogel, Belgium rose to 38 degrees Celsius (100.4F) and Dusseldorf, Germany peaked at 37 degrees C (98.6F).
Earlier this week, heat records were toppled in parts of Spain.
Madrid (central Madrid) set a new June record high for the second day in a row Monday, reaching 39.7 degrees Celsius -- 103.5 degrees Fahrenheit -- edging out their previous June record of 39.1 degrees Celsius set Sunday.
Monday afternoon, Madrid's Adolfo Suarez Madrid-Barajas Airport pushed up to 40 degrees Celsius (104 F), a first for June in records dating to 1945. According to AEMet, four other locations in Spain with records dating to at least the 1950s tied or set new June heat records Monday.
Cordoba, in southern Spain, reached a sizzling 43.7 degrees Celsius Sunday (110.7ºF).
(FLASHBACK: Europe May Heat Records)

Europe Heat Wave Upper-Air Pattern

Current Temperatures

Five Day Forecast

This heat has now spread across a large part of the continent, and it looks like it'll last through the weekend into at least part of next week.
The culprit is an area of high-pressure aloft that is currently in place as far east the southern Baltics, Belarus and western Ukraine, and as far north as southern Scandinavia.
Under this dome of high pressure aloft, dry, sinking air and generally light winds will allow stifling heat to build.
For the U.K., the truly record-shattering heat appears to be over, but warm and muggy conditions may hang in through at least Saturday. Their friends across the English Channel won't be so fortunate.
(MORE: U.K. Detailed Weather Forecast)
Code orange heat alerts ("vigilance orange") have been issued by Meteo France for a large swath of central and eastern France. Code orange is the second-highest level on the four-color hazard scale adopted by national meteorological services in most European countries.
"Europeans, and the French in particular, have been painfully aware of the dangers of extreme heat since the killer heat wave of July 2003," said weather.com senior meteorologist Nick Wiltgen. According to the United Nations, an estimated 30,000 Europeans (14,000 in France alone) died in that heat wave, making it the deadliest natural disaster of the past 50 years in Europe.
(MORE: Extreme Heat Waves, Cold Snaps More Frequent)
Highs in Paris will hover between 33 to 37 degrees Celsius (91 to 99 F) most days through early next week. The average high in Paris during July about 25 degrees Celsius (77 degrees F).
The worst and most persistent heat will affect northern Spain and France into eastern Belgium and The Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Poland, western Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania through the first half of next week.
Madrid, Spain will see temperatures near 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees) over the next several days.
(FORECASTS: Amsterdam | Brussels | Berlin | Prague | Zurich | Vienna | Budapest | Krakow)
A cold front should bring some heat relief around the middle of next week from northern France into The Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, southern Scandinavia and the Baltics.
It may also take the top off the extremity of the heat in areas farther south.
"The latest (long-range forecasts) suggest the ridge and heat will persist across central Europe and Iberia through the month (of July)," said Leon Brown, chief meteorologist based in the U.K. for The Weather Company.
If your travel plans take you to Europe over the next 7 to 10 days, be prepared for the heat. Limit exposure during the hottest times of the day, take frequent breaks, and drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.

MORE: The "Hidden Gems" of Europe