Early heat wave phenomena are appearing around the world, including Europe and the United States. In France, the operation of nuclear power plants has been put on alert, while the first heat dome warning has been issued in the United States.
On the 20th (local time), according to Reuters and the Associated Press, an unusual high temperature phenomenon reaching the mid-30s has led to warnings being issued in some areas of the United Kingdom. Heat wave phenomena are also continuing in France and the Netherlands.
The United Kingdom's Meteorological Office and health authorities issued a yellow heat wave warning for all of England until the morning of the 23rd, citing increased health risks for individuals over 65 years old and those with heart and lung diseases.
In particular, it is forecasted that the maximum temperature in some areas of eastern England will rise to 34 degrees Celsius. The average temperature for that region is about 12 degrees. A study also suggested that a total of 570 people could die over the four days starting from the 19th as the heat continues into the weekend.
With heat waves expected across France this weekend, the maximum temperatures in the south and west are forecasted to reach up to 38 degrees Celsius. The France Meteorological Administration issued warnings for the south and west, urging residents to pay attention to their health.
With the rising river temperatures due to the heat, disruptions in nuclear power production are anticipated. Électricité de France (EDF) announced that from the 25th, the high water temperatures in the eastern Rhône River would affect power production, particularly at the 3.6-gigawatt Bugey nuclear power plant.
In the Netherlands, various outdoor events have been canceled as maximum temperatures are expected to reach 34 degrees Celsius this weekend. An outdoor orchestra concert scheduled to take place in the southern city of Eindhoven was canceled due to concerns that the heat could damage the instruments.
In the United States, a large-scale heat wave warning due to a heat dome phenomenon was issued for the first time this year. A heat dome is a phenomenon where high pressure maintains strong forces and traps hot air. The hot sunlight continuously heats the air inside the heat dome like an oven, causing extreme heat to persist for several days.
The National Weather Service (NWS) projected that temperatures in some regions of the Midwest, including Chicago, would exceed 40 degrees Celsius this weekend, and that high temperatures would expand to the Ohio Valley and the eastern coastal areas early next week.
CNN reported that temperatures in areas affected by the current heat dome would rise at least 8 degrees above the average. Early next week, a level 4 heat risk, the highest of four levels for 'extreme heat risk,' is expected to appear in St. Louis, Chicago, New York, and Washington, D.C.