Europe to swelter on the continent's hottest day in history as 'Omega Block' threatens to bring 102F temperatures to France and Belgium

  • Belgian meteorologists registered record high temperatures on Wednesday 
  • A record high of 102F (39C) was registered on the Kleine-Brogel military base
  • Forecasters predicted new temperatures highs in a string of countries, including Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands  set to reach 104F (40C) on Thursday 

Trains were slowed down and holidaymakers flocked to swimming pools, beaches and lakes in western Europe as another heatwave set new temperature records today. 

And the continent is set to suffer another record-breaking day of heat tomorrow when a so-called 'Omega Block' allows hot air to flow up from Africa, meaning temperatures could hit 102F (39C) across Europe, breaking records set in the 1940s. 

Belgian meteorologists have registered record high temperatures as western Europe sweltered under the second heatwave of summer that has disrupted transport and triggered safety warnings.

David Dehenauw, chief forecaster at the Royal Meteorological Institute, said a high of 102F (38.9C) had been recorded on the Kleine-Brogel military base.

The continent is set to suffer another record-breaking day of heat on Thursday when a so-called 'Omega Block' of hot air allows hot air to flow up from Africa by diverting the jet stream. Temperatures could hit 102F across Europe, breaking records set in the 1940s. Pictured: A young boy jumps into the pool as temperatures reach new record highs at a public pool in Hanau, near Frankfurt

The continent is set to suffer another record-breaking day of heat on Thursday when a so-called 'Omega Block' of hot air allows hot air to flow up from Africa by diverting the jet stream. Temperatures could hit 102F across Europe, breaking records set in the 1940s. Pictured: A young boy jumps into the pool as temperatures reach new record highs at a public pool in Hanau, near Frankfurt

People cool off as temperatures reach new record highs in a fountain at the Berlin cathedral

People cool off as temperatures reach new record highs in a fountain at the Berlin cathedral

A dry part of the bed of the River Loire at Montjean-sur-Loire, western France

A dry part of the bed of the River Loire at Montjean-sur-Loire, western France

Police uses a water cannon to irrigate roadside trees in Wuppertal, western Germany

Police uses a water cannon to irrigate roadside trees in Wuppertal, western Germany

People sunbathe and cool off at the Trocadero Fountains next to the Eiffel Tower in Paris

People sunbathe and cool off at the Trocadero Fountains next to the Eiffel Tower in Paris

People queue to dive into the landmark sea pool of Saint-Malo, Brittany

People queue to dive into the landmark sea pool of Saint-Malo, Brittany

In a tweet, the official said this was the highest since Belgium's first records were kept in 1833, and warned that temperatures are expected to rise further on Thursday.

The previous record temperature was 101.8F (38.8C) on June 27, 1947.

This number was revised down to 97.9F (36.6C) in 1980 after new, more accurate equipment was installed at the institute's observatory in the Brussels district of Uccle.   

The Netherlands also experienced its hottest day on record on Wednesday, with the mercury soaring to 102F (39C).

The temperature measured at Gilze-Rijen in the south smashed a 75-year record of from 1944, the Dutch Meteorological Institute said.    

A host of French cities saw their highest levels since records began on Tuesday, with wine capital Bordeaux recording 106F (41C), beating the previous high registered in August 2003, weather service Meteo-France said. 

People arrive at La Malagueta beach in Malaga, as the summer's second heatwave hits Spain

People arrive at La Malagueta beach in Malaga, as the summer's second heatwave hits Spain

People crowd the beach at Zinnowitz on the island of Usedom in the Baltic Sea, northern Germany

People crowd the beach at Zinnowitz on the island of Usedom in the Baltic Sea, northern Germany

An image taken with a drone shows beach umbrellas and deck chairs as beachgoers enjoy the hot weather in Scheveningen, the Netherlands

An image taken with a drone shows beach umbrellas and deck chairs as beachgoers enjoy the hot weather in Scheveningen, the Netherlands

People cool off at the Trocadero Fountains next to the Eiffel Tower yesterday

People cool off at the Trocadero Fountains next to the Eiffel Tower yesterday

Why is it so hot? 

The second likely-to-be-record-breaking heat wave in two months in Europe includes some of the same ingredients of the first - hot dry air coming from northern Africa. That hot air is trapped between cold stormy systems in the Atlantic and eastern Europe and forms 'a little heat dome,' said Ryan Maue, a private meteorologist in the U.S.

This heat wave is a relatively short event where the heat comes with a southerly wind - and dust - from Africa's Sahara Desert, in contrast to the big European heat waves of 2003 and 2010 which lasted much longer and were sustained by a stationary high pressure system with little wind, experts say.

At the end of June, several countries reported record temperatures, and France hit its all-time heat record: 46 C (114.8 F) in the small southern town of Verargues.

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France's weather office said the scorching conditions 'require particular care, notably for vulnerable or exposed people' with almost the entire country under an orange-level weather alert, the second highest level.

Local authorities have placed restrictions on water usage in many areas due to drought-like conditions that have seen ground and river water levels fall dramatically.

'At the moment, it's tricky but under control, but we need to be very vigilant,' junior environment minister Emmanuelle Wargon said of national water levels on Tuesday, calling on people to show 'civic responsibility' to avoid wastage.

Water restrictions are in place in 73 out of 96 departments in mainland France, with the worst affected areas in the Loire area of central France, as well as the south west and the south east.

While the heat spelt misery for some in sweaty homes and offices, it was a boon for millions of holidaymakers at the beach for their summer holidays, as well as ice-cream makers who are enjoying a stellar summer for sales.

Animals in zoos in many countries are being fed food caked in ice or even frozen blood to keep them cool.

People cool off as temperatures reach new record highs in a fountain at the Berlin cathedral, Germany

People cool off as temperatures reach new record highs in a fountain at the Berlin cathedral, Germany

A boy plays with water in the fountain at the Places des Nations near the United Nations in Geneva

A boy plays with water in the fountain at the Places des Nations near the United Nations in Geneva

People cool off in the futuristically designed 'Badeschiff' (Pool ship) on the Spree river as temperatures reach new record highs in Berlin

People cool off in the futuristically designed 'Badeschiff' (Pool ship) on the Spree river as temperatures reach new record highs in Berlin

Is climate change to blame for this? 

Heat waves are happening more frequently in large parts of Europe, Asia and Australia, experts say. As the world warms, scientists say there will be more and hotter heat waves, but attributing single events to climate change involves precise computer modeling and calculations.

A team of European climate scientists did a quick, non-peer reviewed analysis of Europe's June heat wave and found man-made warming made it at least five times more likely.

'Either of the two European heat waves this summer would have been remarkable in isolation. But now we are seeing multiple episodes of record heat in a given summer. By mid-century, we will simply call these episodes `summer' - if we continue on this trajectory,' said Pennsylvania State University climate scientist Michael Mann, who wasn't part of the European group.

The heat waves aren't just because the world is 1 degree Celsius warmer than before the industrial era, but also because climate change and the melting of Arctic sea ice has slowed down the jet stream, which is the river of air that moves weather along, Mann said. The slow jet stream is 'a big part of the story when it comes to these very persistent heat extremes we have seen in recent summers,' Mann said in an email.

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Lions at the Fitilieu wildlife park in western France have been given chicken sorbet.  

Many Dutch farmers are leaving their cows outside to sleep, rather than bringing them in at night, while some kindergartens have closed their doors because of the risks for young children. 

The highest June temperatures ever were recorded also recorded in Germany, the Czech Republic, Austria, Slovakia, Andorra, Luxembourg,  and Poland.

Clare Nullis, a World Meteorological Organisation spokeswoman said it was 'a hallmark of climate change' and extreme weather was 'becoming more frequent, they're starting earlier and they're becoming more intense'.

 The UK Met Office said there is a 60 per cent chance tomorrow could be the hottest day on record, depending on the amount of cloud. The highest overnight average temperature ever seen in the UK was 73.94F (23.3C) in July 1948, and forecasters have also now said there is a possibility this will also be beaten tomorrow night into Friday.  

Boiling air originating from Africa has swept across Europe towards Britain, with forecasters also predicting new temperature highs in Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands, where the mercury is set to reach 104F (40C). 

Network Rail said it was slowing down trains in response to the extreme weather, which comes only weeks after another record-breaking heatwave in Europe in June.

People cool off on canoes on the river Spree

People cool off on canoes on the river Spree

A woman plays with water in the fountain at the Places des Nations near the United Nations in Geneva

A woman plays with water in the fountain at the Places des Nations near the United Nations in Geneva

A man takes a sunbath close to the North Sea beach in Wremen

A man takes a sunbath close to the North Sea beach in Wremen

How hot will Western Europe be this week? 

Temperatures in France especially are likely to be 27F (15C) higher than normal, with Paris likely to break its all-time hottest record mark of 104.7 F(40.4C). Surrounding areas around Paris may hit 106 to 108 (41 -42 C), weather experts said.

The Dutch meteorological institute tweeted that Wednesday's heat wave broke a record that stood for nearly 75 years of the hottest temperature ever recorded in the Netherlands. Shortly before 3 p.m. (1300 GMT) it recorded a temperature of 38.8 C (101.8 F) in the southern municipality of Gilze Rijen close to the border with Belgium.

Belgium measured its highest temperature since records were first kept in 1833.

In sun-baked Kleine Brogel in northeastern Belgium, temperatures stood at 102 F (38.9 C), and the weather forecaster of the Royal Meteorological Institute said that it was 'the highest ever Belgian temperature.'

Also, temperatures won't cool down much at night, and maybe stay around 75F (24C) or higher (75 F).

The German Weather Service has put the entire country on heat alert and said the 2015 national heat record of 40.3 C, which is currently held by the Bavarian community of Kitzingen, could be broken this time.  

Here's the hottest temperatures European countries are predicted to reach this week.

 UK - 101F (39C) on Thursday 

France - 105F (41C) on Thursday 

Spain - 100F (38C) on Thursday 

Switzerland - 100F (38C) on Thursday

Belgium - 102F (39C) on Wednesday

Netherlands - 100F (38C) on Thursday

Luxembourg - 100F (38C) on Thursday

Sweden - 86F (30C) by Friday 

 

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'Extreme heat can cause overhead wires to sag and become damaged by fast trains. We slow down services to keep passengers safe when this happens,' the company said on Twitter.

Across the area affected by the unusually high heat, stretching from France up to Norway in the north, people sought out ways to cool off in lakes and rivers, leading to an increase in drowning incidents.  

In London, police were searching for three people who have gone missing in the River Thames while swimming. 

Forecasters predicted new temperatures highs in a string of countries tomorrow including Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands, where the mercury is set to reach 104F (40C) for the first time.

The same day could also see the all-time record temperature for the French capital Paris - 104.7 degrees Fahrenheit (40.7C) - in 1947 - beaten. 

The heat is putting pressure on authorities to help protect the elderly and the sick. Air conditioning is not common at homes, offices, schools or hospitals in European cities.   

The weather is also aggravating droughts since it hasn't rained much in many parts of Europe this summer. The combination of heat, wind, and the risk of lightning from thunderstorms also increases the risk of wildfires such as those blazing in Portugal, according to the World Meteorological Organization. 

Only last month Europe struggled to cope with soaring temperatures across the continent, which caused wildfires in Spain, France and Germany.    

Hundreds of Eurostar passengers have been left stranded in scorching heat as they were forced off a train after an overhead power supply failure in Belgium.   

Travellers said they were stuck in 104F (40C) heat after the high-speed train came to a stop near Halle, before they were finally evacuated at the side of the track as they waited for a rescue train. 

At least four more international trains have been cancelled and others delayed in the resulting chaos, ruining travel plans for thousands of people.  

Children enjoy a water slide as temperatures reach new record highs at a public pool in Hanau, near Frankfurt

Children enjoy a water slide as temperatures reach new record highs at a public pool in Hanau, near Frankfurt

A young boy jumps into the pool as temperatures reach new record highs at a public pool in Hanau

A young boy jumps into the pool as temperatures reach new record highs at a public pool in Hanau

A woman walks on a bridge over the Seine river in front of the Eiffel tower in Paris

A woman walks on a bridge over the Seine river in front of the Eiffel tower in Paris

A girl does a hand stand in the water at the Jungfernheide Sommerbad in north Berlin

A girl does a hand stand in the water at the Jungfernheide Sommerbad in north Berlin

Lena (right) and Jara, both ten years old, carry an inflated flamingo bathing toy at the beach of Rerik at the Baltic Sea, northeastern Germany

Lena (right) and Jara, both ten years old, carry an inflated flamingo bathing toy at the beach of Rerik at the Baltic Sea, northeastern Germany

An elephant cools off in the water of its pool at the Tierpark Hagenbeck zoo in Hamburg

An elephant cools off in the water of its pool at the Tierpark Hagenbeck zoo in Hamburg

What are authorities saying about staying cool in the heat? 

France in particular is haunted by the 2003 heat wave that killed an estimated 15,000 people there, most of them isolated elderly people whose families in many cases were on vacation. The country has since taken measures to try to ensure such a catastrophe isn't repeated.

Those measures include a colour-coded heat alert system to warn people when temperatures are expected to rise to dangerous levels in their area. The alert system went to its maximum level of red for the first time during last month's heat wave, when France saw its highest-ever recorded temperature.

There are also public service announcements on television, radio and in public transportation systems about risks of high temperatures, telling people to drink water and watch out for isolated elderly people.

Millions of euros in extra funding for emergency services, including more staff members in hospitals and nursing homes overwhelmed in 2003. A government report at the time blamed the death toll on lack of coordination among government agencies, nursing homes that lacked air conditioning and overnight staff, lack of a public alert system, and other problems.

Still, few homes in France or Germany have air conditioning, and many public buildings also lack air conditioning, including hospitals and schools.

In the Netherlands, local authorities have taken an unusual precaution - with trucks scattering salt on the roads like they usually do in the winter.

The salt spreaders are usually used to prevent ice forming on Dutch roads in the cold, but Arnhem municipality started using them to cool off asphalt that is baking in the heat wave.

The city says in a statement that the salt 'attracts moisture from the air and cools the asphalt.' It also prevents the asphalt from becoming sticky.

Across London, authorities started handing out water and sunscreen to homeless people and opened day centres for them to rest and shower. In the Lewisham bin collectors will start working as early as 5am. in the morning to beat the heat.

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'Babies are ill, people are fainting. We were promised a rescue train. It's been two hours,' said one furious customer, comedian Katy Brand.   

The World Meteorological Organisation said that 2019 is on track to be among the world's hottest years and 2015-2019 would be the hottest five-year period on record.

In the UK temperatures could exceed the all-time record of 101F (38.5C) on Thursday - asthma sufferers were warned of a 'toxic cocktail' of hot, humid weather and rising pollution levels.  

This 'could be extremely hazardous for the 5.4 million people in the UK with asthma, triggering deadly asthma attacks,' said Andy Whittamore, clinical leader at charity Asthma UK.

In the Netherlands - where most of the country was hit by a 'code orange' alert Tuesday - the government activated its 'national heat plan', issuing advice for hospitals, retirement homes and even obese people.

Animals were also a cause for concern.  

In France, the government banned animal transportation 'for economic reasons' between 1pm and 6pm in areas affected by 'orange' and 'red' heat alerts. 

Paris and the eastern city of Lyon have also banned more heavily polluting vehicles from the city centre in a bid to keep the air clean.

The heatwave has also caused water shortages in dozens of regions across France, with a drought raising concerns for farmers producing a host of crops from potatoes to grapes.

The new heatwave in northern Europe follows a three-day temperature peak from June 26-28 in France, which was 7.2F (4C) hotter than an equally rare June heatwave would have been in 1900, the World Weather Attribution (WWA) team said this month.  

French energy company EDF said it would temporarily shut down the two reactors at its Golftech nuclear power plant this week in the southern Tarn-et-Garonne department, in a bid to limit the heating of water used to keep reactors cool. 

Reactor number two shut down on Tuesday evening and number one on Wednesday, with both due to stay shut until July 30.

France is gearing up for a surge in electricity use this week, but the national electricity board said Monday that there will be enough supplies.     

People cool-off in the Mediterranean sea in Calella

People cool-off in the Mediterranean sea in Calella

A huge thermometer mounted on a wall of the headquarters of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) shows a temperature of 42C  (108F) in Bonn, Germany

A huge thermometer mounted on a wall of the headquarters of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) shows a temperature of 42C  (108F) in Bonn, Germany

People cool off on canoes on the river Spree as temperatures reach new record highs in Berlin

People cool off on canoes on the river Spree as temperatures reach new record highs in Berlin

A French Republican Guards holds a bottle of water on a hot summer day in the courtyard of the Elysee Palace

A French Republican Guards holds a bottle of water on a hot summer day in the courtyard of the Elysee Palace

Baby elephant Ben Long cools off in his pool at the zoo in Leipzig, eastern German

Baby elephant Ben Long cools off in his pool at the zoo in Leipzig, eastern German

And as the Tour de France reached its final week in the southeast of the country, ice foot baths and extra water points were on hand to avoid dehydration.

'In the third week of the Tour de France, I think heat like this could make the difference,' said Davide Bramati, head of sport for team Deceuninck, whose cyclist Julian Alaphilippe is currently leading the world-famous race. 

Authorities around Europe also issued health warnings, encouraging older or vulnerable people to be particularly vigilant.  

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