Germany, Denmark gripped by record temperatures as European heatwave moves east

Subscribed with another email? Logout and Login with that one. Account subscription benefits alongside Premium Stories, Editorials, Opinions and more. Unlock these with Subscription The View From India Looking at World Affairs from the Indian perspective. First Day First Show News and reviews from the world of cinema and streaming. Today's Cache Your download of the top 5 technology stories of the day. Science For All The weekly newsletter from science writers takes the jargon out of science and puts the fun in! Data Point Decoding the headlines with facts, figures, and numbers THEdge At the cutting edge of education and careers Health Matters Ramya Kannan writes to you on getting to good health, and staying there Gender Agenda Stories from beyond the binary. The Hindu On Books Books of the week, reviews, excerpts, new titles and features. A thermometer mounted on a wall of the headquarters of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change shows a temperature of 41 degrees Celsius amid a Europe-wide heatwave in Bonn, Germany, on June 27, 2026. | Photo Credit: Reuters From Scandinavia to the Alps, Europeans endured sweltering conditions on Saturday (June 27, 2026) as a heatwave linked to dozens of deaths spread eastwards, with record-breaking temperatures breaching 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in some spots. Denmark logged its highest-ever temperature after Britain, France, Switzerland and Germany had all experienced record heat in June and the weather system began rolling towards Poland. Scientists said the heatwave would have been virtually impossible without man-made climate change, which has made this week’s night-time temperatures 100 times more likely than they would have been even two decades ago. “The heatwave is going to peak at the weekend at well over 40 C in some parts of Germany,” said Karsten Brandt, a meteorologist at weather forecasting site Donnerwetter.de. People enjoy the water sprayed by a police water cannon at the Brandenburg Gate during the ongoing heatwave in Berlin, Germany, on June 27, 2026. | Photo Credit: Reuters On Friday (June 26, 2026), a new German record of 41.3 C was hit near the city of Saarbruecken on the French border, Germany’s National Meteorological Service said, citing preliminary data. The Danish Meteorological Institute, meanwhile, reported a 37 C reading north of the city of Aarhus on Saturday (June 27, 2026), the highest on record since measurements began in 1874. The service issued extreme heat warnings for nearly all of Germany on Saturday (June 27, 2026) as authorities urged people to save water. It said temperatures of 36°C were expected across the board in the country, with local highs of 42°C possible. Temperatures rose well over 30°C across nearly all of Poland. In France, dozens of people, both young and old, have died during the heatwave. Temperatures above 40°C have disrupted rail travel and power generation, sparked alcohol bans, suspended schools and postponed outdoor events. Italy’s Health Ministry issued a red alert for the heatwave in 18 cities, including Milan, Rome, Turin, Venice, Genoa, Florence and Bologna for Saturday and Sunday, with temperatures expected to climb as high as 39°C. Friday was the warmest June night on record in Bolzano in the Italian Alps, with overnight temperatures not dipping below 25.4 C, the city’s meteorologist Dieter Peterlin said on X. The French Prime Minister’s office said although the heatwave is moving on, pressure on the healthcare system would persist and hospitalisations would stay high for several days. Reports of wildfires in France are up compared to the same period last year due to the heatwave, officials say. Struggling with the prospect of damage to infrastructure, including buckling roads and swelling train tracks, some major rail providers have sought to reduce traffic. German national rail operator Deutsche Bahn allowed customers to cancel long-distance travel into early next week without charge to ease pressure on its network. Another operator, National Express, said it would suspend some trains on Saturday afternoon (June 27, 2026) in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany’s most populous state, as a precaution. Near Hamburg, the main traffic lane on one of Germany’s busiest motorways was partially closed after the heat led to the asphalt splitting, authorities said. In Switzerland, the Lausanne Pride march was due to go ahead on Saturday (June 27, 2026), with extra water fountains and first responders, while Milan’s Pride march was pushed back until 5 p.m. (1500 GMT) to avoid the worst of the heat. The Ironman European Championship long-distance triathlon taking place on Sunday (June 28, 2026) in Frankfurt shortened the cycling and running courses due to the heat. The most extreme heat is forecast to begin fading at the weekend, with heavy thunderstorms expected on Sunday (June 28, 2026). Across Europe, cultural landmarks have had to

Germany, Denmark gripped by record temperatures as European heatwave moves east

Key takeaways

Also covered by

Germany, Denmark gripped by record temperatures as European heatwave moves east

Key takeaways

Also covered by

More in international