Temperatures in Spain could reach a hellish 47C this weekend, while sweltering infernos in Italy have led to roads melting as raging wildfires continue to tear through Greece.
The blowtorch heat dome now settling over the continent has already claimed the life of one tourist who succumbed to heatstroke on the Spanish island of Mallorca.
Experts fear it will get even hotter in the coming days with a hot blast from Africa leading temperatures to rise up to 46 or 47C, according to meteorologist Gernot Schutz.
Meanwhile, France and Germany have been hammered with ferocious rain and hail storms and flooding, leaving three people dead, including a child who was crushed to death by a toppled tree.
A heat dome is a meteorological phenomenon that occurs when a high-pressure ridge traps a thick layer of warm air in one region like a lid on a pot.
This often leads to bouts of warmer temperatures over a prolonged period of time.
Britain is also bracing itself for a heatwave this weekend and is facing 36C highs and a ‘rise in deaths’ ahead of what could be the hottest June day on record and the highest temperature in nearly three years as an amber heat health is activated from today.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) alert will last until Tuesday at 6pm and covers London , the East Midlands, South East, South West and East of England.
A killer heatwave has descended on Europe, with record breaking temperatures set to hit Spain over the coming days
GREECE: Hundreds of firefighters in Greece also battled a wildfire which burned out of control on the eastern Aegean island of Chios this week. Pictured: A wildfire burns trees by the sea in Lithi, Chios island, Greece, 24 June
SPAIN: A tourist died from heatstroke on the Spanish island of Mallorca on Thursday as a baking heatwave from Africa neared the Iberian Peninsula. Pictured: A man cools himself down in a water fountain in central Madrid
Temperatures could hit 28C today in southern England, then rise to 30C tomorrow, 31C on Sunday, 36C on Monday and 31C on Tuesday.
Weather expert Nacho Espinos has advised Spaniards to ‘remain indoors as much as possible’ and to avoid strenuous outdoor activities as the country prepares for the most extreme heatwave of the year.
Emergency medical staff in Spain readied to deal with an unexpected surge in heatstroke cases, particularly among vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly and people with chronic illnesses.
In neighbouring Portugal, the national meteorological agency IPMA said the heatwave would hit from Saturday, with temperatures passing 40C in the south of the country as well as in the central Tagus and the Douro valleys in the north.
Sunday will be even hotter, the agency added, and two-thirds of the country has already been put on orange alert. Temperatures are expected to hit 42C in the capital, Lisbon.
The risk of fire is at its highest inland in the northern half of Portugal, as well as on the Algarve coast popular with holidaymakers in the south.
In Greece, firefighters have been battling a wildfire that burned residences and holiday houses near the coastal town of Palaia Fokaia near Athens, which has forced people to flee.
Fires have burned throughout the week in Greece, where frequent wildfires and floods in recent years have been exacerbated by a changing climate.
SPAIN: Emergency medical staff in Spain readied to deal with an unexpected surge in heatstroke cases. Pictured: Medical dispatchers wait for calls to Madrid’s SUMMA emergency medical services number at the main emergency call centre for the whole Madrid region, in Valdebebas, on the outskirts of Madrid, on June 26
GREECE: Tourists walk through Thissio neighbourhood amid a heatwave in Athens, Greece, 27 June
GREECE: Elderly people, who find shelter from a heatwave in a municipal cooling center, look at the weather forecast, in Athens
BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA: A tourist drinks water at a fountain during a heatwave in Sarajevo, June 25
SPAIN: A man carries a parasol as he walks in the Plaza de la Virgen where Corpus Christi sculptures are on display as parts of Spain experience a heatwave on June 21, 2025 in Valencia, Spain
In the area of Palaia Fokaia, 130 firefighters were supported by 12 aircraft and 12 helicopters as they sought to put out flames that were whipped up by high winds.
Greek police have moved to safety 40 people, firebrigade spokesperson Vasilios Vathrakogiannis told a televised news conference, adding that coastguard vessels had sailed to the area to assist with more evacuations if needed.
‘Firefighters are fighting a huge battle with the flames, mainly near houses,’ he said, adding that a seaside roadway running across the affected areas was protectively cordoned off.
Footage showed thick grey smoke rising over the region with lush vegetation, where air temperatures soared to 38C on Thursday.
Authorities said the risk of wildfires would remain high on Friday before the weather got cooler.
Fields, olive groves and some houses were ravaged by the blaze around Athens.
Greece has spent hundreds of millions of euros to compensate households and farmers for damage related to extreme weather and to acquire new and modern firefighting equipment to deal with wildfires, which have been made harder to contain by rising summer temperatures.
It has increased its number of firefighters to a record 18,000 this year in anticipation of another difficult wildfire season.
FRANCE: Violent storms in France saw Paris’ metro system flood. Screen grab shows a flooded Metro station in the French capital following a torrential downpour on Thursday night
FRANCE: Footage on social media showed the flooded streets of Paris on Thursday evening following a deadly thunderstorm that killed two people
GERMANY: A woman shields herself with an umbrella on Alexanderplatz square in Berlin amid a storm on Thursday
GREECE: A man tries to cool a girl with water during their visit to the Parthenon temple atop the Acropolis hill, as a heatwave hits Athens, Greece, June 27
GREECE: 9 A wildfire front as seen from the port of Lithi in Chios, Greece, 24 June
SPAIN: People sit next to a large outdoor fan to keep cool at a restaurant terrace during high temperatures in Madrid on Friday
Large parts of western and southern Europe will experience a heatwave this weekend
GREECE: Tourists with an umbrella walk at the foot Acropolis Hill, Thursday, June 26
Hundreds of firefighters in Greece also battled a wildfire which burned out of control on the eastern Aegean island of Chios, with authorities issuing multiple evacuation orders.
Towering walls of flames tore through forest and agricultural land on the island, where authorities have declared a state of emergency and have sent firefighting reinforcements from Athens, the northern city of Thessaloniki and the nearby island of Lesbos.
By Tuesday morning, the fire department said 444 firefighters with 85 vehicles were tackling the blaze on scattered fronts.
Eleven helicopters and two water-dropping planes were providing air support.
Emergency services issued evacuation orders for villages and settlements in the area since Sunday, when fires broke out near the island’s main town.
Apocalyptic scenes captured in images and videos showed firefighters battling the flames as the wildfires raged on, while thick plumes of black smoke filled the sky.
Other videos showed helicopters spraying water over smoke-filled fields.
Temperatures are also soaring over 40 degrees in Italy, the Balkans and Turkey.
GREECE: Fires have burned throughout the week in Greece. Pictured: A man ties a boat at the port of Lithi in Chios, while a wildfire burns through forested land on June 24
SPAIN: From Friday onwards, temperatures are expected to soar dramatically. A woman cools off at a water fountain in Madrid
FRANCE: Two people were killed yesterday and 17 more were injured during a deadly torrential storm in France. Pictured: A view of broken tree branches on a damaged car in a street the day after a heavy storm hit Paris
GREECE: A resident assists firefighters in battling a wildfire burning in the coastal region of Palaia Fokaia, some 40km southeast of Athens, Greece, on Thursday
GREECE: A firefighting helicopter douses a wildfire burning in the coastal region of Palaia Fokaia on Thursday
GREECE: People watch as a wildfire burns forest land on Chios Island, Greece, on June 23
GREECE: Greek authorities have had to issue multiple evacuation orders as wildfires tear across the country. Pictured: A firefighter carries a hose as a wildfire burns on Chios island, June 24
GREECE: Firefighters try to tackle a wildfire burning on Chios island, June 23
A motorway in Northern Italy was closed yesterday as burning temperatures caused roads to melt, local media reports.
Italy’s health ministry warned residents and tourists on Friday of soaring temperatures across the country, and issued a red alert for 21 cities this weekend – including Rome, Milan and Venice.
People were advised to not go outdoors between 11:00 am and 6:00 pm, and to seek shelter in air-conditioned public places.
In Venice, the temperature was set to hit 32C on Saturday, when Bezos and Lauren Sanchez are expected to be throwing a dance party starring Lady Gaga – but it will feel like around 36C due to humidity.
In Florence, which was already on red alert on Friday, the temperature is forecast to reach 37C on Saturday, while it will go up to 36C on Sunday in Rome, Milan and Naples.
Across the Adriatic, the authorities in Croatia, Bosnia and Serbia also issued health warning, while in Albania, firefighters battled Thursday to bring at least eight blazes under control after flames destroyed dozens of homes in the south of the country last weekend.
Severe forest fires destroyed around 700 hectares of land on the Croatian coast this week, while local authorities warned of extreme heat in the capital Zagreb.
One firefighter and several residents were injured while dozens of people were evacuated this week as a large fire broke out on the Croatian Adriatic coast.
ITALY: Authorities issues a health warning across 21 cities on Friday amid a heatwave. Pictured: Tourists protect themselves from the sun with umbrellas during a gondola ride in Venice lagoon on June 27
ITALY: Tourists visit the Trevi fountain during a hot summer day in Rome on June 26
GREECE: Frequent wildfires and floods in recent years have been exacerbated by a changing climate
SPAIN: A man writes in the shade of a tree during high temperatures in Barcelona on Friday
FRANCE: People run for shelter on a street in the 20th Arrondissement during a thunderstorm, in Paris, on June 25
GERMANY: Severe summer storms left one person seriously injured after violent hail and powerful gusts of wind tore through the country. Pictured: A woman shields herself with an umbrella on a street on Alexanderplatz square during stormy weather in Berlin, June 26
ITALY: A man refreshes himself with water at a fountain near Pantheon during a hot summer day in Rome on June 26
CROATIA: Severe forest fires destroyed around 700 hectares of land on the Croatian coast this week. Picture shows water bombing aircraft dropping water during a wildfire near the coastal town of Omis on June 21
CROATIA: This photograph shows a partialy burnt house during a wildfire near the coastal town of Omis on June 21
The fire around the small town of Pisak, near the capital Split, spread fast and enflamed bushes near a tourist resort, as the Croatian air force deployed specialized planes to battle the blaze.
Roads were closed in the south of Split in the direction of town of Makarska, and nearly 200 firefighters were deployed to contain the raging fire in the hills above the coastline.
Croatia is prone to wildfires in the summer, but this year fires begun early in the season.
Rescue services set up an reception center in town of Omis, aimed to temporarily house stranded tourists and locals who are displaced by the fire.
In Albania, firefighters also brought eight fires under control this week.
France has been gripped by its 50th national heatwave since 1947 for more than a week now, and four regions in southern France were placed under an orange alert on Friday – the second-highest warning – as temperatures were expected to reach 35C to 38C locally, and up to 39C inland.
The Meteo France weather agency said surface sea temperatures from the Mediterranean were an ‘aggravating factor’ that could make nights ‘more stifling’.
Nine additional French regions are expected to be placed on orange alert from 12:00 pm (1000 GMT) on Saturday.
ITALY: People fill their bottles with water at a fountain near the Vatican on June 26
FRANCE: Heavy rain and strong winds cause trees to fall and damaged several cars in various parts of Paris on Thursday
GREECE: Reinforcements from Athens and Thessaloniki were sent to the island of Chios this week
GREECE: Flames engulfed the island of Chios this week, leaving firefighters struggling to contain what turned into one large fire
ITALY: Tourists use parasols as they walk past the Colosseum during summer in Rome, Friday, June 20
SPAIN: Weather expert Nacho Espinos has advised Spaniards to ‘remain indoors as much as possible’
SPAIN: The hottest temperature ever recorded in Spain was 47.4 degrees Celsius in La Rambla, Andalucia, in 2021
SPAIN: People crowds and cool off at Nova Icaria beach in Barcelona amid a heatwave affecting the Iberian Peninsula
ITALY: Temperatures are also soaring over 40 degrees in Italy, the Balkans and Turkey. Pictured: Tourists shelter from the hot sun next to a fountain at the Sforzesco Castle in Milan on Friday
ITALY: A motorway in Northern Italy was closed yesterday as burning temperatures caused roads to melt
SPAIN: A person uses an umbrella as protection from the sun in Madrid
ITALY: Tourists cool off from the summer heat in Pantheon Square, Rome, Italy
SPAIN: A man cools off in a fountain in Seville
SPAIN: A cyclist rides next to a thermometer showing 40 degrees Celsius in Seville
But with extreme heat, violent storms can also strike.
Two people were killed yesterday and 17 more were injured during a deadly torrential storm in France that toppled trees and flooded the streets of Paris.
In the south of France, a falling tree crushed a 12-year-old child to death and a man died when his quad bike hit a toppled tee in the north.
The French civil defence agency said power was lost to 110,000 homes in the storm, which swept France following a heatwave.
The rain also caused parliament’s roof to leak as the prime minister spoke in the French capital.
‘Have you noticed that it was raining?’ Prime Minister François Bayrou pointed out, looking up at the National Assembly’s leaking domed ceiling after delivering a speech on the Middle East as a deluge fell outside, quickly inundating Paris boulevards on Wednesday evening.
The assembly vice president, Roland Lescure, suspended the debate so fire officers could check out the problem.
When he restarted the session about 15 minutes later, Lescure told lawmakers that absorbent mats were used to patch up the leak.
Elsewhere in Germany, severe summer storms left one woman dead after a tree fell on her car.
FRANCE: A woman checks on a car damaged by a fallen tree
FRANCE: Photograph shows a lightning bolt falling near Sacre Coeur Basilica in Montmartre during a thunderstorm
FRANCE: A lighting bolt lights up the sky over Sacre Coeur Basilica in Montmartre during a thunderstorm, northern Paris, on June 25
FRANCE: Rainwater flooded the streets of Paris last night
FRANCE: The torrential downpour comes while large parts of Europe battle extreme temperatures
GERMANY: Firefighters work on a tree that partially fell onto a house after a storm in Berlin
GERMANY: Branches lie on the street after a storm in the Prenzlauer Berg district, in Berlin
GERMANY: A man shields himself with an umbrella on Alexanderplatz square during stormy weather in Berlin
GREECE: Tourists refresh with water in front of the five century BC Parthenon temple at the Acropolis hill during a heat wave on June 25 in Athens
One person was seriously injured after violent hail and powerful gusts of wind tore through the country.
Chaos struck Berlin’s public transport system on Thursday, with the storm forcing the city’s S-Bahn to completely shut down for the evening.
‘Due to weather-related disruptions (fallen trees), train service on the entire S-Bahn network will be suspended’, S-Bahn wrote on X last night.
In Venice, a freak thunderstorm forced Lauren Sanchez and Jeff Bezos to cut their pre-wedding celebrations short on Thursday, with A-list guests seen taking cover from the downpour.
Guests dived for cover under cloisters as lightening bolts flashed across the sky and thunder rumbled overhead at the end of what was a torridly humid day.
Torrential downpours and a strong wind left guests soaked as they then dashed for water taxis which had been scrambled a good 45 minutes ahead of the midnight finish time.
The strong gusts of winds whipped table cloths away and sent waiters scurrying for umbrellas to protect the VIP attendees.
The searing heat spreading across the Mediterranean from the Iberian peninsula to the Balkans and Greece comes as climate scientists warn that galloping human-induced climate change is causing more extreme weather, including longer and more intense heatwaves.
BRITAIN: The UK braces to have its second heatwave of the year this weekend
BRITAIN: A woman uses a portable electric fan to cool down on the London Underground public transport in London
BRITAIN: The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) issued the alert this morning to cover five regions of England
Tens of millions of people have already been sweltering in what the National Weather Service called an ‘extremely dangerous’ heatwave across the eastern United States, including in New York and Washington, straining the power grid as people cranked up air conditioning.
It also comes as Britain braces to have its second heatwave of the year this weekend.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) issued an alert this morning to cover five regions of England – the East Midlands, South East, South West, East and London .
A yellow health alert has also been issued for the Yorkshire and Humber and West Midlands regions. Both alerts begin at 12pm tomorrow and end at 6pm next Tuesday.
The Government agency has warned that significant impacts are likely across health and social care services, including an increase in demand, during the alert period.
The warning said ‘significant impacts are likely across health and social care services due to the high temperatures’ along with ‘increased demand for power exceeding capacity’ and ‘heat affecting the ability of the workforce to deliver services’.
It told of ‘indoor environments overheating, increasing the risk to vulnerable people living independently in community and care settings’; and ‘internal temperatures in care settings may exceed recommended threshold for clinical risk assessment’.
There could also be ‘issues managing medicines’; ‘staffing issues due to external factors’; and ‘other sectors starting to observe impacts – for example, travel delays’.
The UK’s hottest day of the year so far was recorded last Saturday when Charlwood in Surrey reached 33.2C (91.8F) – but this could be beaten over the coming days.
