Luckily Luxembourg will not be hit as hard as southern Spain; 40 degrees were measured in the south this week. France will feel warmer temperatures on Tuesday, before it is “our” turn later in the week.
Experts have labelled the event “atypical” for this period and believe it is a consequence of global warming. The heat wave, which followed the hottest May in Spain in over 100 years, will bring about “extreme temperatures”, declared Ruben del Campo, spokesman for Spanish meteorological agency AEMET, in conversation with AFP.
Del Campo further explained that the heat wave progressively built up last weekend and is likely going to last “until the end of this week”.
According to Belgian, French, and Luxembourgish forecasts, the heat wave will affect the entire border region.
In Belgium, highs of 30°C are expected on Friday, while temperatures are likely to increase to 33°C on Saturday.
Similar temperatures are expected in France, with highs of 27° on Thursday and Friday, and up to 32°C on Saturday.
In Luxembourg, Meteolux expects four days of elevated temperatures around 30°C. The peak will be reached on Saturday with 30 to 32°C. The evenings will also be warmer than usuasl, with 17 to 21°C, a significant increase compared to the 10°C recorded on Tuesday morning.
Scientists believe the increase in heat waves, particularly noticeable in Europe, may be a consequence of global warming. Greenhouse gas emissions are growing in power, duration, and frequency.
Over the course of the past ten months, Spain has already endured four waves of extreme temperatures: a heat wave in August 2021, which lead to record-breaking highs in the country (47.4°C recorded in Montoro), a period of exceptionally high temperatures between Christmas and New Years Eve, a heat wave in May, and finally the one currently unfolding.
In France, the highest temperatures for the year 2022 were recorded on Monday: 37.6°C in Cuers. According to Frédéric Nathan from Météo-France, it is the earliest heat wave since records began in 1947.
Restrictions on the use of water have already been issued in 35 French departments, close to a third of the country. The heat wave follows an already hot and dry spring, which provoked droughts all across France.
On Monday, several fire brigades were called into action when fires broke out in a south-eastern region of France, with 60 bungalows burning down at one of the country’s biggest camping sites. Fortunately, none of the 3,000 guests were injured.
In Portugal, the heat wave started building up last Friday and is also likely to stay until the end of this week. The local forecast predicts that highs of 40° will be reached in certain regions.
