From US to Europe, why heat waves are heightening the risk of blackouts

Heat in Europe is causing sky-high electricity prices

Heat in Europe is causing sky-high electricity prices

Heatwave Sweeps Across Germany

Germany is bracing for extreme temperatures as a heatwave that has claimed dozens of lives across Western Europe moves eastward, with temperatures expected to exceed 40°C. The same weather system has already brought record June heat to the United Kingdom, France, Switzerland and Germany, and could intensify further as it advances toward Poland. Germany's national weather service reported a preliminary temperature reading of 41.3°C near the city of Saarbrücken, close to the French border, potentially setting a new benchmark for the current heat episode. Across Europe, the heatwave has disrupted rail services, strained power generation, prompted school closures, and led authorities to cancel outdoor events and impose restrictions aimed at protecting public health. Officials have also warned of possible damage to infrastructure, including buckled rail tracks and cracked roads, as soaring temperatures continue to affect large parts of the continent.

Europe's record-breaking heatwave: What you need to know

Europe is sweltering through its most severe heatwave on record, with temperatures shattering all-time highs across the continent and the heat now shifting east towards the Balkans and Ukraine. The heatwave is being sustained by what meteorologists call an omega block -- a weather pattern named for the Greek letter because of the shape it creates in the atmosphere. Hot, dry air from North Africa becomes trapped over a region as low-pressure systems on either side prevent it from moving away. The result is that temperatures have been pushed up to 18°C above their seasonal average. Europe is particularly exposed: only about 20 of European homes have air conditioning, and much of the continent's housing stock was built to retain heat rather than shed it.

Where will Europe’s heatwave be most deadly?

We analyse 854 cities to see which will be worst affected

As Europe faces a massive heatwave, read how EU regulations pose hurdles to the purchase of Air Conditioners

With rising temperatures, electricity prices are also increasing. However, the obvious resort to relief in peak summers, Air Conditioners are not that easily available in Europe.