Southern Europe is baking in the grips of a heatwave that has seen one part of Spain already hit a sweltering 45C, and temperatures on rise in countries such as Italy and Greece.
The heatwave has been named Cerberus, after the three-headed dog that guarded the gates to the Underworld in Greek mythology.
Spain’s weather service said thermometers could potentially hit 45C in south-eastern areas of the Iberian Peninsula, which are under alert for extreme heat.
That mark of 45C was reached on Monday in the village of Loja, near Granada, at the start of the heatwave.
The high temperatures are expected to extend eastwards through the week, peaking on Friday.
More than 100 weather stations registered temperatures of at least 35C as early as 6am on Wednesday, according to meteorologist Ruben del Campo, of Spain’s national weather agency.
“On Wednesday we expect temperatures to fall overall with the arrival of cool winds from the north and east, with the exception of the south-east and southern Andalusia, where hot winds blowing from the interior will cause temperatures to soar,” he said.
While some relief is in store in the coming days for the Iberian Peninsula, other European countries are to be hit by high temperatures through the weekend.
Heading on holiday soon?
— Met Office (@metoffice) July 12, 2023
🌡️ Heatwave conditions are continuing to affect parts of southwest Europe and northwest Africa, extending east through the week and peaking on Friday. pic.twitter.com/694gaMndRR
In Italy, 10 cities were put on high heat alert for older people and other vulnerable populations from Bolzano in the north extending southwards to Bologna, Florence and Rome.
Temperatures are expected to reach 40C in Sardinia on Wednesday.
Temperatures are also starting to rise in Greece, where a heatwave is forecast to reach up to 44C in some parts of the country in the coming days.
Officials banned access to nature reserves and forests to reduce the risk of wildfires, while authorities were opening air-conditioned areas in public buildings for people to shelter from the heat.
Greece’s agriculture ministry issued restrictions on the transportation and working hours of animals such as horses and donkeys offering rides in tourist areas during the heatwave.
Working animals will not be allowed to work between noon and 5pm on days where temperatures are between 35C and 39C in the shade, while they will not be allowed to work at any time of the day when temperatures exceed that range.
Scientists report that heat-related deaths soared in 2022 in Europe, when Spain had a record-hot year.
The Mediterranean region is expected to see temperatures rise faster than many other areas of the globe due to climate change.
