The recent heat wave in Europe was intense.
How intense?
Intense enough that officials closed the Eiffel Tower due to concerns that there might be medical issues with people waiting on lines to get to the top level. That is not something that happens often, especially in a city that is so famous for tourism, so that's saying something. Intense enough that the world famous Autobahn - the German highway which allegedly has an absence of speed limits at some points - began to crack due to the heat.
Here is a snippet from an article by Nick Heubeck of Bloomberg (see link below):
Germany will conduct emergency repairs on its autobahn this weekend due to extreme heat causing large chunks of concrete to blow up along key stretches of the highway.
The heat, with temperatures up to 39C (102F), caused concrete to expand and crack, leading to hours-long traffic jams, and repair works will impact traffic flows further during summer breaks.
The heat wave has also led to more severe consequences in other parts of Europe, including wildfires in Greece and heat-related deaths in Spain, Italy, and France.
So it is a massive heat wave affecting a huge part of Europe, north and south.
Germany and the wider region have faced increasingly intense and frequent heat waves, with Europe warming twice as fast as the global average since the 1980s as a result of climate change. The scorching temperatures pose risks for critical infrastructure as well as human health.
While the fallout from the heat is likely to cause frustration for German drivers as they embark on their summer holidays, high temperatures have also led to more grave consequences in parts of Europe this week, with the Greek island of Crete battling wildfires that have forced thousands of residents and tourists to evacuate. In Spain, Italy and France, several heat-related deaths have been recorded.
Longer heat seasons mean an increased risk of heat-related illnesses, leading to an increased strain on healthcare systems and challenges for vulnerable populations. It is especially problematic for the elderly and those with pre-existing conditions.
"This analysis makes it clear: we can no longer treat heat as just a normal part of summer," says Kathy Baughman McLeod, CEO of Climate Resilience for All.
“The ‘summer season’ many of us once knew is gone.”
Germany’s Autobahn Cracks After Heat Wave Hits Europe by Nick Heubeck July 4, 2025:
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-04/germany-s-autobahn-cracks-after-heat-wave-hits-europe
Heat wave shutters Paris' Eiffel Tower as Europe bakes Updated on: July 1, 2025 / 7:53 PM EDT / CBS/AP
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/heat-wave-shutters-paris-eiffel-tower-europe-bakes/
Europe is one of the regions already suffering the most visible and deadly consequences of global warming. Extended periods of heat highlight how the continent’s climate is changing and the health and infrastructure concerns which come with that change.
https://www.euronews.com/green/2025/07/06/europes-summer-is-getting-longer-heat-now-lasts-up-to-5-months-in-cities-like-athens-and-t
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