Germany, Denmark and the Czech Republic recorded their highest-ever temperatures on Saturday as an intense heatwave continued to grip large parts of Europe.
Germany’s national weather service (DWD) said a provisional temperature of 41.5 degrees Celsius was recorded at the Drewitz weather station in eastern Germany, setting a new national record.
The figure surpassed the previous record of 41.3C, which had been set just a day earlier in Saarbruecken in the country’s southwest.
Denmark also experienced its hottest day since weather records began in 1874.
According to the Danish Meteorological Institute (DMI), temperatures initially climbed to 36.6C north of Odense before rising further to 37.0C in Odum, north of Aarhus, establishing a new national record.
The previous record of 36.4C was set in August 1975.
The heatwave coincided with the opening of the Roskilde music festival, where organisers installed additional water stations to help thousands of attendees cope with the extreme temperatures.
Meteorologist Peter Tanev said scientists had long anticipated that Denmark’s temperature record would eventually be broken due to global warming, warning that temperatures could reach 40C in the future.
Neighbouring Sweden also remained under heat alerts, with the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute warning that temperatures in the country’s south could rise to between 36C and 37C.
In the Czech Republic, the national meteorological service (CHMI) said a temperature of 40.6C was recorded in Doksany, north of Prague, breaking the country’s previous record of 40.4C set in 2012.
The agency noted that it was the first time temperatures above 40C had been recorded in June and warned that the heatwave was expected to peak on Sunday, with temperatures potentially exceeding 41C.
The scorching weather prompted authorities to introduce emergency measures across parts of the country.
Prague’s public transport operator reduced tram speeds to minimise the risk of overhead power lines warping in the intense heat, while water trucks were deployed to spray streets to cool urban areas and reduce ground-level ozone.
Several outdoor festivals and public events also installed misting systems to help people cope with the extreme temperatures.
The record-breaking temperatures are the latest sign of the severe heatwave affecting much of Europe, with meteorological agencies warning that dangerously high temperatures are likely to persist in several countries over the coming days.