European heatwave shifts east as Balkans face 39°C and French hospitals are overwhelmed
France 24 reported hospitals across France and southern Europe are struggling as the heat dome moved into Serbia, Bosnia and Greece; the UK logged its third consecutive day under a red heat warning; Paris Pride was postponed
Add to a list
No lists yet.
Summary
The heat dome gripping Europe shifted eastward on June 26, pushing temperatures toward 39°C in the Balkans, including Serbia, Bosnia, Croatia, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Montenegro. France remains under red alert in 72 of its 96 metropolitan departments, with hospitals reporting a four-fold increase in heat-related ER visits, 40 drowning deaths in the past week as people sought river relief, and 68,000 households without power after a transformer failure in Finistere. Paris Pride was postponed. The UK logged its third consecutive day under a red heat warning; Merryfield, Somerset recorded 36.7°C on June 25, a new June record. The WMO said around 150 million Europeans would experience above 35°C on Friday.
Why it matters
The eastward expansion means the first wave of extreme heat in western Europe is followed by a second episode in the Balkans, with less preparation time, fewer cooling centres, and older housing stock. French hospital data showing a four-fold jump in heat ER visits and 44 cardiac arrests in Paris in one 24-hour period is the most direct signal yet that the health system is absorbing casualties the official death count will lag by weeks. The WMO's unequivocal climate attribution closes the scientific case on what is driving the event.
What to watch
- Balkan hospital reporting: Greece, Serbia and Turkey have less heat-emergency infrastructure than western Europe.
- UK temperature peak on June 26-27 and whether the third red warning results in excess mortality on a scale comparable to July 2022.
- When the heat dome breaks, and whether forecasts confirm a possible third episode in early July.