More than 135 million people in Europe set for temperatures over 35C

What the report says

More than 135 million people in Europe are expected to face temperatures above 35C as a new heatwave intensifies, according to Al Jazeera’s report citing German weather service forecasts and European Commission population projections. The areas most affected are expected to include France, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom. The article says nearly three in five Europeans — about 340 million people — could see temperatures above 30C on Thursday.

The report says the UK and France are heading into their fifth heatwave of the summer. Forecasters in Britain expect temperatures could reach 38C in parts of England, while France could see highs of 40C. In the UK, the hottest temperature so far this year was recorded in late June. Al Jazeera also noted that Britain’s Met Office has warned that even average weather for the rest of August could make this year the country’s hottest on record.

The article highlights concern over the impact on health services, quoting the Royal College of Nursing as saying extreme heat is making parts of the National Health Service difficult to work in and unsafe for some patients. It also points to wider drought conditions across Europe, with dry crops and low river levels affecting water supplies, farming and ecosystems.

More broadly, the report frames the heatwave as part of Europe’s status as the fastest-warming continent, with officials and services under pressure to adapt to more frequent and intense hot weather.