Europe heatwave: Germany hits 41.5°C, Czech Republic 40.8°C, Denmark breaks 51-year record, Hungary curbs nuclear plant

Temperature records across Europe

Germany recorded its highest reliable temperature when the weather station at Drewitz in Saxony-Anhalt reached 41.5°C at around 16:30, according to the DWD national weather service. The day before, Saarbrücken had already set a new high with 41.3°C. In the Czech Republic, the station at Doksany north of Prague measured 40.8°C, breaking the previous record of 40.4°C set in 2012; the national weather office warned the mercury could climb further on Sunday. Denmark saw its oldest heat record fall when Ødum, north of Aarhus, hit 37.0°C, surpassing the 36.4°C peak that had stood since August 1975. Switzerland also notched all-time highs: Basel-Binningen 39.0°C, Neuchâtel 38.1°C and Zurich-Fluntern 36.2°C. The Aare river in Bern reached 24.1°C.

It is probably only a matter of time before we reach 40 degrees in Denmark.

Infrastructure and transport disruptions

More than a dozen autobahn sections in Germany suffered heat-related damage as concrete slabs expanded and buckled. The Autobahn GmbH reported full closures on the A2 towards Hanover near Burg and towards Berlin near Ziesar and Irxleben, as well as lane restrictions on the A10 southern Berlin ring, the A93 in Bavaria and the A7 near Hamburg. The A9 near Ingolstadt needed repairs in both directions. Deutsche Bahn advised passengers against non-essential travel because of the heat. In France, the Paris police prefecture imposed a wide-ranging alcohol ban to reduce heat-related incidents.

Nuclear power plant throttled

Hungary’s Paks nuclear station reduced output from one of its four reactors by 243 megawatts after the cooling water downstream in the Danube reached 29.7°C, exceeding the regulatory limit of 29.5°C. Energy Minister Istvan Kapitany said households would not feel the cut but urged the public to curb electricity use in the evening to ease grid strain.

Fires and drownings

A forest fire in the Gohrischheide area of Saxony, where unexploded ordnance prevents direct attack, had spread to 19 hectares by Saturday evening. Around 100 firefighters were deployed, and helicopters and a protected fire engine were requested. Zeithain mayor Mirko Pollmer said crews were monitoring the fire from munitions-free paths.

Active firefighting by our comrades is once again impossible due to the munitions contamination.

In North Rhine-Westphalia, a 61-year-old man drowned in the Schiedersee near Schieder-Schwalenberg after ignoring a swimming ban; rescuers recovered his body. Algae and steep underwater drop-offs make the lake dangerous, and cold pockets can cause cramps or circulatory failure. Swiss media reported one dead and one missing in bathing accidents in the canton of Aargau.