Historic Heat Scorches Europe

Records fell from Madrid to London, Paris and Berlin as the hottest airmass in more than a decade expanded across Europe over the past week.

The heat originated in northern Africa and then spread into Portugal and Spain last week. Strong high pressure in the upper levels allowed this airmass to continue to heat up over Spain where the hottest June temperature on record was reported in Madrid on June 29, as the mercury rose to 40.0 C (104.0 F). This was accompanied by temperatures of 39.4 C (102.9 F) on the 28th and 39.3 C (102.7 F) on June 30.

The temperature also soared to 43.7 C (110.7 F) in Cordoba, located in southern Spain on June 29. After a brief decline in temperatures to end June and start July, heat has again been building across Spain where dangerous heat is expected for much of the week ahead.

Further north, historic temperatures were also reported in London, Paris, Amsterdam and Berlin.

In London, Heathrow Airport climbed to an amazing 36.7 C (98.1 F) on Wednesday. This mark set a new record of all-time high temperature anywhere in the United Kingdom during the month of July and the highest temperature reported in London since the heat wave of 2003.

Temperatures at Parc Montsouris in Paris soared to 39.7 C (103.5 F) on Wednesday. Since 1873, Météo-France stated that is the second-hottest temperature ever recorded in Paris, second only to 40.4 C (104.7 F) from July 28, 1947.

The heat advanced all the way to Amsterdam where the high reached 32.7 C (90.9 F) on Wednesday. The normal high on that date is only 19.4 C (67.0 F).

The heat advanced eastward on Saturday as Frankfurt and Berlin sweltered. The temperature peaked at 37.9 C (100.2 F) in Frankfurt with the suburb of Offenbach reaching 38.5 C (101.3 F), the highest since 2003.

In Berlin, the temperature reached 37.8 C (100.0 F) on Saturday, falling just short of the all-time highest temperature ever recorded which is 38.1 C (100.5 F) from back in July of 1959.

Relief is on the way for Berlin as temperatures will be much cooler on Monday before one more surge of heat arrives Tuesday. London and Paris have already cooled off from the extreme heat and temperatures closer to normal are expected to prevail for much of this week.