Public health alerts for extreme heat have been ongoing, and Astana saw the mercury rise to 39.5°C on 14 July 2026, shattering the previous record of 35.3°C, set 34 years ago. And that is not even the first all-time high this summer. Another recent heatwave, in June, broke a record temperature that had stood for over eight decades.

Despite some storms, the heat shows no sign of relenting, according to Kazakhstan’s National Hydrometeorological Service, which has forecast temperatures up to 45°C across the country’s western and southern regions.

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As one of the world’s fastest warming nations, and with over 75% of Kazakhstan exposed to climate risks that are a danger to human health, Kazakhstan, warns Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, faces soaring heat-related deaths, as do other Central Asian territories. “Projections show Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan face the steepest rises in heatwave-related mortality rates in Central Asia in the near term – and that’s under moderate climate scenarios. Sadly, it will get worse,” Kluge said.

Part of the issues is that the territory of Kazakhstan lies at the heart of the Eurasian continent and is landlocked from the ocean (by two to three thousand kilometres). This position means “it warms up at higher pace than the northern hemisphere and the globe, in average,” Nurlan Abayev, director of National Hydrometeorological Service Kazgidromet, explains.

As well as health impacts for society’s most exposed and vulnerable populations, extreme temperatures over long periods create drought conditions, and wildfire risks, Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Ecology has warned.

@theibraboss #астана #дождь #ливень ♬ оригинальный звук – тгк: эмкикс

And the knock-on consequences are felt through other seasons, and vital sectors such as agriculture. When earlier snowmelt brings earlier spring floods, reservoir supplies have to last longer, and moisture cannot penetrate the soil as easily, diminishing food production.

The latter is a threat not only to Kazakhstan but to the region and wider world, since Kazakhstan is a major global wheat exporter. Ultimately, Kazakhstan is not alone. Kluge has urged authorities worldwide to plan ahead for the long-term public health implications of extreme heat, explaining: “Every country – including Kazakhstan – needs a heat-health action plan before the next summer, not during it.”

L’article Astana breaks temperature records as Kazakhstan faces deadly heatwaves est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

France

Several major wildfires have been hitting France since the start of June, and some parts of the country are bracing themselves for a fourth heatwave. All eyes are on the French southwest at the time of writing, as two distinct yet nearby areas in the region are facing wildfires of historical dimensions.

The largest blaze started on 22 July 2026 in the town of Saumos in the Gironde department. Since then, approximately 42,000 hectares are thought to have been destroyed completely or partially by the flames, triggering the evacuation of 220,000 people across 23 towns, including tourists staying at local holiday homes, hotels, and camping grounds. Some 240 homes have burned down entirely, and 2,500 firefighters are battling the flames, 84 of whom were injured during the task.

Wildfires dramatic aerial footage of the Gironde blaze near Bordeaux Stay safe pic.twitter.com/oZLjjNPyPj

— France Safety Travel (@francesafetytra) July 26, 2026

On Monday 27 July 2026, the wildfire which took off in Saumos still isn’t under control. With a new heatwave expected to hit the region from Tuesday 28 July onwards, firefighters are doing everything they can to put out the flames, a task that is being made particularly difficult due to the fact that the fire evolved into a so-called ‘pyrocumulonimbus’. The phenomenon, unseen in France until now, means the blaze turned into a thunderstorm fuelled by its own winds and lightning.

A second wildfire started in the town of Biscarosse in the nearby Landes department on 23 July. On the evening of 26 July 2026, 3,600 hectares had been burned down, and the fire still wasn’t fixed. While some 5,000 people were able to return to their homes, the situation remains unstable.

A third fire in the Var has meanwhile burned down 4,500 hectares of vegetation, mobilising some 1,000 firefighters and leading to the evacuation of people in the towns of Barjols, Châteauvert, and Correns. As the wind is making it difficult to contain the situation at the time of writing, although the evening of Monday 27 July might bring rain.

Given the large number of wildfires that have been hitting France since the start of the summer, French president Emmanuel Macron has organised a crisis meeting on Monday, 27 July.

As far as travellers are concerned, the prefect of the Gironde, Sophie Brocas, is advising all those who were planning to travel to the popular region over the coming days (or even weeks) to stay home. She further added that those who were already on-site are invited to look for alternatives, especially since the situation may worsen yet again as of 28 July.

Although travellers could opt to travel to one of the nearby towns or departments, it is worth noting that the wildfires have caused a severe deterioration of the air quality in at least four departments: Gironde, Landes, Dordogne, and Lot-et-Garonne. Masks are currently being distributed in order to protect inhabitants, especially the elderly, those who are struggling with health issues, and children.

Spain

In its turn, Spain has been combating its share of wildfires too over the course of the summer. Provisional data show that over 170,000 hectares of forest land have been affected by wildfires in Spain since the beginning of 2026, compared to just 29,000 in 2025.

At the moment of writing, some 76,000 people have been evacuated across Spain while 30,000 others are confined to their homes, as firefighters are battling the flames throughout the country, with the biggest blazes currently located near Madrid, Ávila, and Valencia. The fire in Ávila burned down 25,000 hectares ravagés and is said to be the biggest one in Spain in recent history.

“What we are living through is not a series of isolated incidents. It is … the most painful manifestation of a climate emergency that is making … wildfires more voracious and heatwaves more frequent, and, as a result, our land more vulnerable. It is no longer an exception. It is the rule,” Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez said at a climate conference in Madrid.

While Spanish authorities said the fire near Madrid slowed down overnight, the blaze currently remains “active and uncontrolled”. While some people have been allowed to return to their homes, citizens and visitors alike are urged to continue exercising extreme caution.

With extreme temperatures being announced over the coming days, it is unclear how the wildfires across Spain and France will evolve. However, 2026 is already likely to go into history as a record year.

“Last year, one million hectares burned during the summer and so we are expecting to face another historic, sad record because the season has started earlier in the year,” the EU commissioner for crisis management, Hadja Lahbib, told the BBC, specifying it was likely 2026’s damage from wildfires would exceed previous records.

L’article Wildfires hit tourist areas in France and Spain as 375,000 people are forced to flee est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The islands affected are Astypalaia, Tinos, Alonissos, Leros, Patmos, Symi and Karpathos, where emergency measures have been introduced to safeguard dwindling water supplies as hotter summers and increasingly erratic rainfall leave reservoirs under severe strain.

Astypalaia has become one of the clearest examples of the crisis. The island, which already relies on bottled water for drinking, experienced its second driest season since 2020 despite Greece recording its wettest winter since 2022 in other regions. 

According to mayor Nikos Komineas, rainfall has been exceptionally scarce. “If we collected all the water dropped throughout the year in a bucket or a washbowl, it would be just 2.5 centimetres deep,” Komineas said.

The island’s only reservoir now contains around 150,000 cubic metres of water – roughly one-sixth of its total capacity – while daily consumption reaches approximately 900 cubic metres during the summer months. At that rate, current reserves would last only around five and a half months.

To avoid running out of water, local authorities declared a water emergency in May, allowing the rapid installation of a temporary desalination plant capable of producing 600 cubic metres of fresh water per day for Chora, the island’s main tourist town. Irrigation from the reservoir has also been suspended, forcing farmers to switch to brackish well water.

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The restrictions are already affecting local agriculture. A 71-year-old farmer, Evdokia Palatianou, who has already lost crops due to the lack of irrigation water, told Reuters: “Unless it rains, I won’t plant anything.”

Tourism is adding further pressure to the island’s limited resources. Astypalaia’s population grows from around 1,400 permanent residents to roughly 7,000 during the summer, overwhelming existing infrastructure. One desalination plant serving the village of Analipsi could no longer meet demand, prompting authorities to install a second temporary facility while a permanent plant is being built.

Businesses are also taking steps to reduce water consumption. Hotel owner Maria Alkalai told Reuters that guests have responded positively to an initiative offering a €5 voucher to those who choose to skip daily room cleaning. “Clients have embraced it,” she said.

The Greek government has allocated €15 million for desalination projects, water tanks and network upgrades across nine inhabited islands, including €1.5 million for Astypalaia. Speaking to fellow EU environment ministers, Environment Minister Stavros Papastavrou said: “For Greece, water isn’t theoretical – it’s about security, economic growth and the protection of local communities.”

Scientists at the National Centre for Scientific Research Demokritos have warned that water scarcity on Greece’s vulnerable islands is likely to intensify by 2049 if temperatures continue to rise.

The latest drought emergencies come as Greece faces increasing pressure to balance tourism with environmental sustainability. Earlier this year, the country introduced new measures to protect 250 beaches from overtourism, banning sunbeds and other commercial activities as part of efforts to protect its coastline. Meanwhile, neighbouring Cyprus has also warned that prolonged drought and growing visitor numbers are putting freshwater supplies under mounting strain.

L’article Seven Greek islands declare drought emergency as summer tourism peaks est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Since their introduction in 2005, the European Union’s emissions trading system (ETS) has been obliging the bloc’s biggest polluters to buy permits to pollute. Companies have to purchase such a permit for every tonne of carbon dioxide they emit. Buying extra allowances is possible, as is trading permits, while some companies have received free permits to allow them to compete with global firms.

Over the years, the system has functioned as a global example, raising €270 billion in revenue and cutting emissions by 47% between 2005 and 2023. That money has been put towards decarbonisation, innovation, and modernisation of the energy grid. Since the start, the number of permits available for purchase or for free has been capped in order to urge companies to continue to reduce their emissions.

In order to reach the EU’s target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 90% by 2040, the European Commission has been urged several times to review the ETS. Meanwhile, ten EU member states have been putting pressure on the Commission to ease the permit system, as it would allegedly lead to higher energy costs while damaging Europe’s competitiveness.

On 17 July 2026, in a Summer where Europe has been struck by historical droughts, heatwaves, and wildfires, the Commission finally published its “Proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2003/87/EC and Decision (EU) 2015/1814 as regards driving competitiveness and cost-effective decarbonisation“.

In the document, which now needs to be adopted by the 27 member states and the European Parliament, the Commission proposes that some heavy polluters should be able to benefit from free pollution permits for longer. Instead of being phased out by 2034, free allowances for polluting sectors would continue to be distributed until 2038, under the condition that they demonstrate plans to invest in clean production in Europe.

The number of permits in circulation should also be reduced more slowly, according to the Commission. Instead of an annual reduction in the cap of 4.3%, the proposal dials this down to 3.7% from 2031, followed by 1.7% from 2036.

Furthermore, the permits would also be extended to municipal waste and to flights within a 5,000-kilometre radius of a central point in Europe – including private jets, a sector unconcerned by the ETS until now.

“The EU ETS has proven that carbon pricing works. It has cut emissions, strengthened Europe’s energy security and mobilised investment across our economy. [The] proposal on the ETS review brings together three key goals: climate action, competitiveness, and independence,” stated Wopke Hoekstra, Commissioner for Climate, Net Zero and Clean Growth.

Since the publication, however, climate experts and organisations have been criticising the proposal, wondering how the EU will be able to meet its 2040 goal with the new caps.

“Weakening the ETS now is a gift to polluters that have prioritised shareholder payouts instead of investing in cleaner production at the expense of citizens, future generations and those companies which already invested in climate-friendly solutions,” stated Chiara Martinelli, director of Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe.

Transport & Environment (T&E), Europe’s leading advocates for clean transport and energy, have criticised the move.

“Europe has an energy dependency problem not an ETS one. The watering down of the ETS will make it near impossible to meet the EU’s 2040 target. If ETS does less work in bringing emissions down, other sectors like agriculture will have to do more. The proposal will keep Europe hooked on volatile and insecure fossil fuels for longer and will deprive governments and industry of the revenues needed to boost the innovative technologies of the future,” said Kädi Ristkok, T&E’s director of energy and climate.

At the moment of writing, the proposal still needs to be reviewed and voted on by the EU’s 27 member states and the European Parliament.

L’article EU faces climate backlash over plans to extend free pollution permits until 2038 est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Amid record temperatures across Europe that have closed tourist attractions, buckled roads, and disrupted trains, ongoing droughts and water shortages across much of the bloc mean the Danube has shrunk to just eight centimetres above its all-time low of 38 cm, recorded in 2018.

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The Danube is Europe’s second-longest river, after the Volga. It flows through Central and Southeastern Europe, from Germany’s Black Forest, south through the Danube Delta in Romania, and into the Black Sea. Historically important, the river was once a frontier of the Roman Empire.

Previous severe droughts, such as one in 2022, also brought shipping to a halt and even exposed sunken World War II warships. Going back as far as the unusually dry summers during the 4^th and 5^th centuries AD, Attila the Hun is believed to have demanded a wide strip of land along the Danube, in what historians believe might have been an attempt to secure better grazing territory for their herds amidst another drought.

While rainfall in the coming days is expected to ease the current situation, it will only be a temporary reprieve, since the Danube’s water levels have been volatile but trending downwards for some time.

#Danube #Budapest #Record #Low #Water Level The water level was just 8 cm above the all-time low recorded eight years ago. Due to the low water levels, several cruise ships are stranded in Budapest pic.twitter.com/0HQg18lMIq

— Us Un (@UsUn583176) July 19, 2026

Laszlo Somodi, Chief Executive of MAHART-PassNave, the country’s largest passenger cruising company, said: “River cruise vessels are currently still able to enter Hungary, but several ships are stranded or waiting in ports because of the low water levels.” This has led to an 18% fall in reservations for July alone, with passengers cancelling because sightseeing north of Budapest is off the cards.

Similarly, Avalon Waterways said a small number of its river cruise departures had been cancelled due to the low water situation, not only on the Danube, but also on the Rhine.

The cruise sector is the most economically important of Hungary’s shipping industry, bringing in about 600,000 typically high-spending visitors every year, which is around 40% of the total river cruise passengers in Europe in 2025. Those visitors are vital not only to the capital Budapest but also spread footfall and revenue regionally to northern ports like Gönyű and Komárom that handle high volumes of transit traffic.

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Total tourism, in which river cruising plays an important role, contributes about 13% to Hungary’s national GDP. Based on Hungary’s projected 2026 nominal GDP of approximately 85.9 trillion Hungarian Forint (€236.9 billion), 13% of the GDP is roughly €30.8 billion. If the 18% cancellation rate in the river cruise sector were to continue, losses could be significant.

The low water situation also casts a shadow over the launch of AmaWaterways’ new ship, the AmaRudi—set to make her debut on the Danube from April 2027. Billed as Europe’s largest-ever river cruise ship, with 98 rooms and featuring highlights such as a variety of restaurants, a wine bar, a pool, a spa and even a pickleball court, the AmaRudi and her sister ship, the AmaMagna, require a minimum depth of 1.5 metres to navigate successfully.

L’article Low Danube water levels strand cruise ships and hit Hungary’s tourism est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The little critter appears to be moving a little too close to Europe’s shores for comfort, and could become a serious hazard for the millions heading to the coast in search of relief from one heatwave after another as we officially enter the summer holidays this week.

Known scientifically as the Vibrio bacterium, this microorganism is found in warm, brackish coastal waters, a mix of fresh and salt water found in estuaries, lagoons and river mouths, precisely the kind of shallow, warmer waters where children often like to swim.

@fidget.club5 Would u visit this beach in summer ? #uk#heatwave#summertime#crowded #beach ♬ original sound – Fidget Club

Not unlike other families, not all Vibrio bacteria are a hazard, and most are harmless. This one’s black sheep is Vibrio vulnificus, dubbed the “flesh-eating bacteria” by the media, which can cause severe skin infections. In rare cases, it may prove fatal, particularly in people with open wounds, weakened immune systems or chronic liver disease.

A recent study from the Gulf of Gdańsk found V. vulnificus most commonly hitching rides on medical waste, plastic film and cigarette butts floating in coastal waters, but not on food packaging, in other words, on the detritus people leave in and around the sea.

European institutions are worried. In the most severe cases, untreated infections can lead to necrotising fasciitis – a rare condition in which bacteria rapidly destroy skin, fat and tissue surrounding muscles – as well as bloodstream infections, sepsis and even amputations, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). The agency warned of an “increased risk of Vibrio infections throughout the summer season”, particularly during heatwaves.

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“The Mediterranean is showing us what a hotter world represents,” Haim Aznague, analyst for Projects, Climate Action and Energy Resilience at the Union for the Mediterranean, told Euronews, suggesting that countries bordering the sea may eventually need a coordinated response.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) warned that Vibrio can also be found in seafood, with some strains causing gastroenteritis and, in severe cases, fatal infections. The ECDC advises avoiding raw or undercooked shellfish, especially oysters.

The Mediterranean is among the fastest-warming seas on the planet, heating roughly 20% faster than the global ocean average, creating ideal conditions for harmful bacteria.

Europe has recorded a rise in Vibrio infections over the past two decades, and global numbers are expected to climb. The highest concentrations are currently found in the Baltic Sea, the Baltic-North Sea transition waters and the Black Sea, as well as coastal areas near major river inflows.

Aznague describes the Mediterranean as a “preview of climate change” rather than simply one of its victims.

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No European beaches have yet been closed because of Vibrio, but closures linked to pollution and other health alerts have become increasingly familiar in recent years.

Such measures affect not only holidaymakers but also local economies that depend heavily on summer tourism, from hotels and restaurants to water sports operators and other coastal businesses.

“A closed beach is a climate impact that comes with a bill attached”, warns Aznague, adding that “a reputation that takes years to rebuild”.

The Mediterranean was Europe’s most visited tourist region in 2024, recording 747 million international arrivals according to UN Tourism data. The ECDC now uses an interactive map, updated daily with a five-day forecast, to track the spread of the bacteria across European waters.

L’article Heatwaves and warming seas raise flesh-eating bacteria risk at European beaches est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

According to the Glacier Monitoring in Switzerland network (GLAMOS), every additional day of melting between now and October, when the first new snowfalls normally return to the Alps, will directly reduce the size of Swiss glaciers.

Data collection on what is known as “glacier loss day” began more than twenty years ago. It is perhaps somewhat reassuring that this year’s date is not the earliest on record: that unfortunate distinction still belongs to 26 June 2022.

GLAMOS director Matthias Huss warned on Friday, however, that Swiss glaciers are currently in a very bad shape and are melting at an unprecedented rate.

“We are just seeing enormous ablation, ice melt rates and snow melt rates all over the Alps,” Huss said, adding that conditions were “three months too early compared to a healthy state.”

The Alps have been shrinking for the past 170 years, but the pace has accelerated sharply in recent decades as temperatures have risen across Europe while snowfall has declined.

This year, the average snowfall over the glaciers was about 25% below the average recorded between 2010 and 2020. It matters because once the snow cover is gone, the glacier itself, essentially the darker grey ice underneath, becomes exposed and dark ice absorbs solar radiation far more readily than reflective snow, accelerating the melt.

Huss explained that he had recently returned to the Rhône Glacier and was struck by the changes he had witnessed in only ten days.

“There was one metre of ice melted in the vertical direction – one metre of melting within just the last 10 days,” he said.

“It’s very impressive to see, and this is just the effect of the heatwave.”

“The more days that are added with very high temperatures, not even mattering whether it’s 35 °C or 40 °C, this is just very bad for the glaciers.”

According to Huss, the “very bad state of the glaciers at the moment” results from a “combination of bad circumstances”, including reduced snowfall and the arrival of Saharan dust in March, which darkened the snow surface and sped up melting even before summer began.

Europe experienced record-breaking temperatures across many countries over the past week, with temperatures rising above 40 °C in several regions. The heat tested energy grids, emergency services and hospital systems and proved fatal for about 1,300 people across the continent.

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Europe remains particularly ill-prepared for such extreme heat events. And glaciers are not prepared at all.

Forecasts suggest another spell of unusually hot weather could return later in July, raising fears that the summer’s worst may not yet be over.

Switzerland has already lost around 1,200 glaciers over the past 50 years and now has only around 1,300 remaining.

Huss predicted that “if warming continues as it did over the last decades, by 2100 we will only be left with some little remnants of ice”.

L’article Swiss glaciers melting at alarming rate after record European heatwave est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

With temperatures exceeding 40°C, authorities in Paris, which regularly tops rankings of the most visited city in Europe, have had to announce early closing times for the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre.

The Eiffel Tower is usually open into the early hours in summertime, but visitors hoping to experience a romantic evening or sunset at one of the best-known and loved monuments in the world were unable to do so on Tuesday, 23 June, after the tower’s management declared an exceptional early closure at 4 pm, with last entries just after midday.

The change to usual service continued on Wednesday, and the tower’s website published a “Weather Alert” explaining: “Due to the high temperatures forecast, the Eiffel Tower will be adjusting its operations. Wednesday, June 24, Thursday, June 25 and Friday, June 26: the Eiffel Tower will exceptionally close at 4:00 PM. Last entry at 12:15 PM. Restaurants: Last entry at 1:30 p.m.”

Due to the tower’s popularity, it is common for visitors to book entries in advance. Prepaid visitors would be reimbursed, the website promised, noting: “Visitors with tickets for a visit from noon (for the stairs) and 12:30 PM (for the elevators), please check your email inbox. Your visit will be automatically refunded.”

The website also reminded readers to take precautions in the severe heat. “Remember to protect yourself from the sun and stay hydrated,” it said, adding: “Water fountains are available in the walkways leading to the plaza.”

Over at the Louvre, home to Leonardo da Vinci’s world-famous Mona Lisa, management followed suit on Tuesday, closing the museum early at 4 pm until at least Saturday, and explaining that the museum is “vulnerable and is not sufficiently adapted to climate change.” Last admissions are at 2 pm. Again, purchased tickets for individual visitors and groups of visitors with reservations for time slots after that time will be automatically refunded to the account used for payment, the Louvre website said.

Chers visiteurs,

En raison de la canicule et pour vous garantir des conditions de visite agréables aux heures les plus chaudes de la journée, le musée du Louvre fermera exceptionnellement ses portes de manière anticipée à 16h au lieu de 18h du mercredi 24 juin au samedi 27… pic.twitter.com/nYB8Z1Ng93

— Musée du Louvre (@MuseeLouvre) June 23, 2026

It’s not the first time the Louvre has had to close its doors at short notice. In 2025, the museum closed suddenly on multiple occasions, as staff walked out due to the pressure of high visitor numbers, infrastructure issues, and a jewellery heist, which also prompted shutdowns.

Elsewhere in France, high-profile attractions are taking similar measures to those in the capital. Mont Saint Michel, the country’s most visited spot outside the capital, has warned visitors to postpone their visits during the hot weather alert, since the picturesque Norman island has steep, narrow medieval streets and 360 steps.

Even beachside destinations are alerting visitors to the dangerous conditions. The Dune du Pilat on Arcachon Bay in the Gironde has warned the heatwave “requires everyone to exercise the utmost caution,” and lists “essential actions” which include avoiding climbing the Dune during the hottest hours since “on the ridge there is no shade or water source, the sand becomes scorching hot, and the effort is greater in the heat.”

The Dune authorities also recommend regular hydration and protective clothing, and note that there is an orange alert for forest fires, so parking is prohibited along the access roads and in the forest area.

Eurostar is running a reduced service between London and Paris, and travel in general across Europe is impacted by the heat, with many national trains cancelled due to the risk to infrastructure.

L’article Tourist attractions in France shut down due to extreme heat est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The heatwave is forecast to last for at least a week, as hot air from the Sahara pushes temperatures between five and 10 degrees above the average for this time of year. Some of the region’s most popular tourist spots will be hit by the unseasonal warmth, which is predicted to hit 44°C in parts of Spain — a country that welcomed a record-breaking 96.8 million international visitors in 2025. Those who have chosen to stay away from traditionally hotter areas will not escape. San Sebastian in the north will see temperatures double the usual.

France banned drinking at the Fête de la Musique this weekend, cancelled trains, and suspended school classes, because a heat dome parked over Western Europe and pushed 35 of the country's departments to the highest heatwave alert. Portugal and Spain are forecast to hit 45°C.… pic.twitter.com/85S3yqccUx

— Skander Garroum (@skagarroum) June 22, 2026

Over half of France, the world’s most touristed nation, is labouring under the severe conditions, trains are running reduced timetables, and hundreds of schools are shut early. That in itself is a situation that creates other risks, as parents struggle to find childcare, and coastal areas and rivers become, in some instances, fatal attractions for youngsters and inexperienced swimmers. Météo-France has said there will be no immediate let-up of the “widespread, long-lasting and intense” heat.

Italy has issued warnings for 12 cities, including beloved tourist destinations such as Florence, Rome, and Venice, as well as Milan, where Fashion Week events are underway.

Other historically cooler European nations are also affected. The United Kingdom’s Met Office is among the authorities issuing a red warning, forecasting temperatures of 38°C on Wednesday and Thursday, while in Belgium, train operator SNCB/NMBS cancelled rush hour trains for Monday and Tuesday to prevent severe infrastructure damage and dangerous conditions for passengers. Intense heat causes steel rails to expand and potentially buckle, while overhead power lines can sag and touch trains.

The heatwave comes as Belgium’s “Tales of Future Weather” pilot project has taken climate statistics and created striking fictional weather scenarios aimed at raising awareness of the warming planet and helping cities prepare for extreme conditions. The project’s climate models accurately predicted high-season temperatures rocketing over 40°C for prolonged periods, with major impacts on electricity networks, public health, and local infrastructure.

As in recent summers where climate records have been surpassed, the risk of wildfires is high, especially in southern nations. Greece is already tackling a wildfire that has brought motorway traffic to a standstill in the centre of the country.

For travellers and residents across the bloc, the conditions mean immediate action should be taken to prevent harm. Staying hydrated, wearing skin protection, and staying out of the sun are essential, and intense physical exertion should be avoided. Construction work sites are likely to be closed as a precaution. Longer-term action means facing up to the climate effects of fossil fuel consumption and carbon emissions, and finding more sustainable ways to undertake life’s journeys.

L’article Red heat alerts issued as Europe’s favourite destinations suffer deadly temperatures est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Research suggests that temperatures above 28°C (82.4°F) can affect soccer players’ performance — especially how fast, far, or frequently they run during a match. This can influence a team’s overall match strategy and style of play.

Ultimately, it could be harder for players to reach their peak performance during a match because of hotter temperatures. And teams with styles of play that rely on speed and repeated sprinting could face a disadvantage.

The analysis from Climate Central shows that climate change is making it more likely there will be temperatures high enough during most matches (97 out of 104) to negatively affect athlete performance. Nearly half of the matches (49) have at least a 50% likelihood of taking place during performance-impairing heat, the research found. In 26 of those matches, climate change increases the likelihood by at least 10 percentage points.

Among all matches, conditions for the match on 26 June in Guadalajara between Uruguay and Spain are most affected, with the 70% chance of performance-impairing heat 37 percentage points higher due to climate change.

And when it comes to the final, scheduled for 19 July at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey (known as New York New Jersey Stadium by FIFA), whichever teams are lucky enough to go that far will face a 47% likelihood of performance-impairing heat — odds that are about 17 percentage points higher because of climate change.

As well as affecting match strategy and how hard and fast players approach the game, extreme heat can pose a serious health risk, the Climate Central researchers point out, especially when combined with high humidity.

To keep players, fans, and staff safe, World Cup organisers are adapting to the rising heat risks by scheduling more evening matches in hotter cities as well as imposing mandatory hydration breaks at all 104 matches. Matches may be postponed if the web-bulb globe temperature (a measurement of humid heat) hits 32°C (89.6°F) to minimise risks of heat stress.

Another factor to be taken into account is that most stadiums are open-air, leaving players and millions of fans exposed to peak summer heat. Only three stadiums are fully climate-controlled (Atlanta, Dallas, and Houston). Fans as well as players then, should take sensible precautions to guard against heat stroke and sunburn, including drinking plenty of water, using suitably protective suncream and hats, and limiting exertion during the hottest parts of the day.

L’article Climate change has heightened risk of dangerous heat at 2026 World Cup est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.