Europe Heat Wave Forecast: Temperature Spike for Summer 2024 Across Continent Poses 'Significant Health Risk'

European heatwaves are expected to make a comeback this year, according to meteorological experts. As the Europe summer season approaches, temperatures are anticipated to spike for some parts of the continent, causing potential risks to public health. The looming intense heat and humid conditions are also projected to replace periods of rainfall events experienced by Europe earlier in June 2024.

Based on the Europe heat wave forecast, temperature increases may occur in multiple countries, especially in the central, southern, and eastern parts of Europe. In fact, the summer heat wave is already manifesting in the continent.

In Greece, reports in recent days show the deaths of at least four people during record-breaking temperatures. The European country's "early heat wave" has also prompted warnings for tourists.

Europe Heat Wave Forecast

In their recent Europe heat wave forecast, meteorological experts on Saturday, June 15, projected that the first major heat wave of Europe's summer season 2024 will spread for most parts of the continent. This looming summer weather, with unusual temperatures and dry conditions, may replace the wet weather experienced by Europe earlier this month.

The forecast adds that the second half of June 2024 will see warmer weather, especially for Greece and Turkey which saw record-breaking temperatures recently. In the coming weeks and months, temperatures are expected to spike as high as 40 degrees Celsius. Furthermore, the most hard-hit regions could be central Europe and the Balkan peninsula, according to experts.

Despite the long-term forecast, the risk of an early heat wave has been detected in Greece over the weekend. Local authorities reported that the Greece heat wave caused the deaths of several foreign nationals, including a man from New York, amid rising temperatures. Meanwhile, search is ongoing for five other tourists who went missing this month due to the scorching weather, authorities add.

Deadly European Heatwaves

In recent years, the deadly European heatwaves were responsible for causing heat-related illnesses and deaths in multiple countries, including Germany, Italy, Spain, and Portugal.

According to a new analysis, at least 60,000 people died from the heatwaves across Europe during the 2022 summer season. Scientists have concluded the record-breaking temperature impacted vulnerable populations across the continent.

The same scenario involving a widespread heat dome had been observed before in other countries across the northern hemisphere such as the United States and China. It is also during these periods that the regional heatwaves coincided with drought conditions in Europe, such as in Spain, where a combination of drought and heat forced the government to impose water restrictions.

In addition, these summer heatwaves also increased the risk of wildfires. In 2023, Europe saw the spread of wildfires ranging from the Mediterranean region to Spain. In previous research, data shows that the combination of heat and humidity serves as a significant fire weather condition, increasing the risk of wildfire growth and spread.