Europe will face a new, more pronounced heatwave this week, forcing numerous countries to take measures, such as closing schools in France and canceling some trains in Belgium.
This is a second heatwave hitting Western Europe in less than a month, AFP reported on Monday.
According to scientific consensus, climate change induced by human activity leads to a higher intensity of extreme weather events, especially heatwaves.
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### Red alert in half of France
In France, the meteorological agency placed a record number of 49 departments (half of the country) under a red heatwave alert as of Monday noon. Another 40 departments will be under orange alerts, with parts of Occitania (south) and the Alps (east) exempt from the heatwave, as indicated by Meteo-France.
**In total, over 90% of the French population will be affected by this heatwave**. Measures have been taken to limit the harmful effects of the heatwave on workers, especially in the construction sector and educational institutions.
– 845 schools and colleges will be closed on Monday, while another 1,800, out of a total of 60,000 units, will finish classes early in the afternoon.
### Spain and Portugal suffocate
In Spain, the AEMET meteorological service warned of ”very high temperatures for this period, both during the day and at night, in most of the Iberian Peninsula and the Balearic Islands until Wednesday”.
”Temperatures will drop on Thursday, but the heat will remain intense,” AEMET further warned in a message published on the X platform.
Similar conditions exist in **Portugal**, where **Tuesday will be the hottest day**, according to the Portuguese meteorological agency, which placed three departments inland under an orange alert, the second level.
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### Belgium’s hottest week ever recorded
Further north, **in Belgium**, this week could be ”the hottest ever recorded in Belgium”, with an average temperature exceeding 27 degrees Celsius, according to David Dehenauw, responsible for forecasts at the IRM meteorological institute.
Some peak-hour trains were canceled on Monday and Tuesday, according to SNCB, the National Railway Company.
In **the Netherlands**, temperatures could reach up to 37 degrees Celsius by the end of the week, according to local forecasts. A yellow warning is in place across the country due to ”unpleasant and suffocating heat”.
### Heatwave from the UK to Switzerland
Extreme temperatures are expected in certain regions of central and **southern England, as well as Wales**, in the middle of this week, as indicated by the British meteorological agency, which issued an orange alert for Wednesday and Thursday.
England is facing an intense and ”unprecedented” heatwave, warned Dr. Akshay Deoras, an atmospheric sciences specialist at the University of Reading, cautioning about ”widespread repercussions for public health, infrastructure, and essential services”.
In **Switzerland**, the heatwave is likely to continue until the following weekend, with temperatures gradually rising starting Tuesday to peak in the latter part of the week, according to MétéoSuisse.
The same trend is observed in **Austria**, where the heatwave is expected to continue throughout the week, with temperatures exceeding 35 degrees Celsius in most parts of the country, according to the National Meteorological Service.
In the Balkans, high temperatures are forecasted in certain regions of **Croatia and Serbia** in the coming days, with the mercury possibly reaching 35 degrees Celsius. In **North Macedonia**, temperatures of up to 38 degrees Celsius are expected in some regions on Monday, as well as in **Bosnia and Herzegovina**.
In **Romania**, scorching temperatures are expected almost nationwide, along with showers. ANM has issued several yellow warnings and a weather advisory.