Up to 50 Degrees: Is the Heat Record Ever Falling on the Adriatic?

“One can only hope that it does not turn out like this”: In light of recent forecast maps, even meteorologists are shocked. “I’ve never seen maps like this before,” German service weather expert Kachelmann recently wrote of a typical map image on Twitter. According to the US model, regional temperatures are expected to reach 50 degrees for August 8 in Italy. It is said to be the hottest in the southern parts of the peninsula, in Sicily and Sardinia.

This could cause the all-time heat record, which was measured in Athens in July 1977, to falter. It’s 48 degrees – in the shade, keep in mind. In the all-time heat list, the Portuguese Amarilla (47.4 degrees, 2003) and the Spanish city of Montoro (47.3 degrees, 2017) took second and third places behind Athens.

Even at night more than 30 degrees

Greece is already moaning from the heat. In the next few days, temperatures should rise to 44 degrees during the day and not drop below 30 degrees at night either. Both the Greek Meteorological Service and the Civil Defense have already issued warnings because the heat To last until August 8th, which is a very long time.

If the temperatures do not drop at night as well, this is very stressful for the human body because it cannot recover. The longer severe weather lasts, the more dangerous it is to your health. The fires could spread quickly because strong winds are also expected and because they have dried up for weeks.

Greece has bad memories of extreme heat waves. He died in 1987 in a similar condition the heatThe stage is estimated at 4000 people. At that time, there was little air conditioning and city apartments became a deadly trap, especially for the elderly. Another heat wave accompanied by strong winds burned large areas of the Peloponnese Peninsula in 2007, killing dozens. Now it is feared that the announced wave will overshadow all this.

Fire brigade in continuous use

Southern Europe is already suffering from rising temperatures and drought. More than 50 bush and forest fires have broken out in Greece. The most dangerous fire broke out in the area of ​​Stamata Dionysos, about 20 kilometers northeast of Athens. “Homes were damaged. Many residents had to be moved to safety,” the district’s deputy governor, Alosselis Kocalis, told Sky News.

State television showed that firefighting planes, helicopters and several firefighters battled the flames. Greek Civil Defense warned, on Tuesday, of the danger of fire. In the coming days, temperatures are expected to exceed 40 degrees across the country. The wind will also be strong.

Everything is clear in Sardinia

Fire brigades are also used on an ongoing basis in Sardinia. In the fight against fires on the Italian holiday island, everything was given with caution on Thursday. The emergency services announced on Twitter on Tuesday that the situation is under control and improving.

Most of the forest on the island was burned, and some buildings were also damaged. She added that five firefighting planes were in the air and several firefighters on the ground. France and Greece supported the Italians with two planes each to fight the fires. On Tuesday, the Civil Protection predicted a moderate fire risk across Sardinia.

For a few days, fires were blazing in western Sardinia in the province of Oristano. An estimated 20,000 hectares of land were burned. Hundreds of people had to leave their homes. According to the newspaper “La Repubblica”, the damage should be in the range of three million. The Sardinian government has announced that it will shorten the procedures for aid money so that citizens and businesses can receive support more quickly to repair the damage.

Great damage to agriculture

Locals said the smell of burning in the air was everywhere. Fire and smoke can also be seen from the beach – even from popular tourist spots. The Coldiretti Agricultural Society spoke of a “disaster” and great damage to agriculture. Reforestation can take up to 15 years. The heat and drought favored the fires.

Several politicians in Italy have expressed their solidarity with the people of Sardinia via Twitter. According to ANSA news agency, the head of the right-wing Lega party said he would write to Prime Minister Mario Draghi so that Sardinia would receive the money immediately.

pacification in Austria

In Upper Austria, the heat will end on Saturday at the latest. After a summer Friday with temperatures reaching 30 degrees, thunderstorms threaten again in the evening. On Saturday, temperatures do not exceed 23 degrees, and on Sunday it will be a little cooler with a maximum of 21 degrees. Heavy rain and sometimes strong westerly winds also fall. On Monday, the weather calmed down again, and the rains receded. With a maximum of 23 degrees, however, it remains fresher than in the past.