Europe weather: Highest temperatures yet to come as tourists left stranded outside Greek landmark
Temperatures are set to rocket to 12C (53.6F) above average in some areas of Italy, while Cyprus is set to battle 43C.
Saturday 15 July 2023 05:26, UK
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Acropolis closes early as Athens swelters in heat.0:39
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Acropolis temporarily closed amid heatwave
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Europe is set to reach even higher temperatures over the weekend, as the Cerberus heatwave continues to grip the south of the continent.
Temperatures are expected to continue to swelter in Italy, with a second heatwave expected to rocket 12C (53.6F) above average in some areas on Sunday.
Five cities in Sicily, Sardinia and Puglia have issued fresh warnings for individuals to avoid being out in the midday heat after the Italian health ministry issued the same warning in another 10 cities from Bologna to Rome on Friday.
Read more: See the forecast for your area
A large crowd of tourists visit the Parthenon Temple on the Acropolis Hill on this hot day
Pic:AP
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The Acropolis was temporarily closed for a few hours on Friday. Pic: AP
The Parthenon Temple on the Acropolis Hill
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But it later reopened to visitors
A similar “red alert” was issued in Cyprus, appealing for the public to take extra care and avoid using any machinery that could spark fires.
In the capital Nicosia, more than two dozen elderly people sought refuge at a dedicated heat shelter the municipality reserves for summer heatwaves.
Temperatures are expected to hit a midday high of 43C (110F) on Saturday, and are not expected to go below 27C (77F) even through the night, while humidity will hit 65% along the coast.
It follows temperatures of above 40C (104F) in Greece, which left tourists disgruntled after the temporary closure of the Acropolis in Athens.
A boy cools himself in a fountain
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A boy cools himself in a fountain in Greece. Pic: AP
Children cool themselves in a fountain of the central Syntagma square
Staff from charity the Red Cross handed out bottled water to dehydrated tourists waiting in long lines hoping to beat the Acropolis’ 12-5pm local time closure, but some were left disappointed at the last-minute announcement by authorities.
“I even bought a €50 ticket to skip the line to enter and I couldn’t enter the place,” Hector from Mexico said on Friday.
Read more:
Europe heatwave – latest: Tourists stretchered away and major attraction shut down
Why is Europe being hit by such high temperatures and when will it end?
Spain, Italy and Greece to swelter in 40C heat
HEATWAVE2:04
Play Video – Will Europe heatwave get worse?
Will Europe heatwave get worse?
In Spain, people packed the beaches on Friday as the country enjoyed a short-lived respite from its second heatwave of the summer.
Temperatures were still expected to reach 40C in at least 12 of Spain’s 17 regions, after a high of 45C scorched the southeastern town of Albox on Wednesday.
Spain’s Aemet state weather agency said another heatwave is expected to start on Sunday with highest temperatures yet to come.
Greek Red Cross workers distribute water bottles to visitors in front of the Acropolis
Pic:AP2:27
Play Video – How is Greece tackling Cerberus?
How is Greece tackling Cerberus?
Spanish coastal areas like Las Palmas, Tenerife and Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands were at high risk of forest fires on Friday.
A map created by Sky News, adapted from Copernicus Emergency Management Service data, showed most coastal regions at “moderate” or “high” risk of forest fires.
A volunteer gives water to a visitor near the Acropolis hill, during a heatwave in Athens, Greece, July 14, 2023. REUTERS/Louiza Vradi
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A volunteer gives water to a visitor near the Acropolis hill. Pic: AP
Meanwhile, inland areas painted a different picture – with much of the centre of the map under “very high”, “extreme” or “highly extreme” risk of blazes.
People in Croatia found creative ways of staying cool, using mud to protect themselves from the glaring heat as the country reached 30-37C (86F).
“It [mud] is definitely better than sun screen, I think protection factor is much better,” said Josef, a Slovakian tourist visiting the coastal town of Nin.
Women walk covered with mud that is believed to be curative at the Queen's Beach in Nin
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Beachgoers covered with mud in Nin
A couple covered in mud that is believed to be curative sit at the Queen's beach in Nin
People in Rome and Greece looking for ways to cool down used numerous fountains.
Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg weighed in on the high temperatures in a post on Twitter, saying global heat records should serve as an urgent wake-up call.
“Last week we experienced the hottest days ever recorded, many days in a row. We are also experiencing record high sea level temperatures and record low ice levels. This is an emergency,” she said.
Salvation Army volunteer Francisca Corral, center, gives water to a man at a their Valley Heat Relief Station, Tuesday, July 11, 2023 in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)
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Salvation Army volunteer in Phoenix, US
Away from Europe, dangerous heatwaves are also being seen in the US, with more than a third of Americans put under extreme heat advisories, watches and warnings on Thursday.
Phoenix hit 43C (109F) for the 14th consecutive day, putting it on track for a possible new record next week.
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