MADRID - Spain was on Monday already in the grips of a heatwave expected to reach “extreme” levels, and France is bracing for one, too, as meteorologists blame the unusually high seasonal temperatures on global warming.
The “unusual” temperatures for the time of year follow the hottest May in at least 100 years in Spain, Ruben del Campo, spokesman for the Spanish Meteorological Agency (Aemet) said.
He told AFP that the current heatwave would bring “extreme temperatures” and “could last until the end of the week”.
The mercury will rise above 40 degrees Celsius (around 104 degrees Fahrenheit) in the day in many Spanish towns and remain high at night, above 20 to 22 degrees, he said.
The heatwave is also set to hit other parts of Europe, such as France, in the next few days, del Campo warned.
France’s weather service said the heatwave would hit southern regions from Tuesday night, worsening a drought across much of the country that is threatening farm harvests.
From Wednesday, much of France will be sweltering in temperatures that could reach 38 or even 40 degrees C -- “extremely early” for the season -- forecaster Frederic Nathan of Meteo-France told AFP.
The “unusual” temperatures for the time of year follow the hottest May in at least 100 years in Spain, Ruben del Campo, spokesman for the Spanish Meteorological Agency (Aemet) said.
He told AFP that the current heatwave would bring “extreme temperatures” and “could last until the end of the week”.
The mercury will rise above 40 degrees Celsius (around 104 degrees Fahrenheit) in the day in many Spanish towns and remain high at night, above 20 to 22 degrees, he said.
The heatwave is also set to hit other parts of Europe, such as France, in the next few days, del Campo warned.
France’s weather service said the heatwave would hit southern regions from Tuesday night, worsening a drought across much of the country that is threatening farm harvests.
From Wednesday, much of France will be sweltering in temperatures that could reach 38 or even 40 degrees C -- “extremely early” for the season -- forecaster Frederic Nathan of Meteo-France told AFP.
