In Italy they are preparing for the most intense heat wave of the summer and one of the most intense of all time, and in the southern United States temperatures of 54ºC can be reached.
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Several regions of the world are on track to register heat records this Saturday, in the United States, Europe and China, forcing authorities to take drastic measures in the face of extreme temperatures.
The south of Italy could register temperatures slightly above 38°C as of this Saturday in Sardinia, Sicily, Calabria and Apulia with highs “of 40 degrees and more, especially on Sunday”.
In Rome, temperatures can rise to 40°C on Monday and reach 42-43°C on Tuesday, breaking the record of 40.5°C recorded in August 2007.
Some regions of China, including the capital Beijing, have also suffered spells of intense heat combined with heavy rain for weeks, and temperatures of 38 and 39°C are expected in Japan on Sunday and Monday.
“The Mediterranean basin and central and southern Italy are covered by a blanket of very hot air. Unfortunately, this is nothing new: climate change is making these types of phenomena much more frequent and much more intense than in the past,” explained Claudio Cassardo, a meteorologist and academic at the University of Turin, in statements published on Friday by the newspaper Il Messaggero.
Spain, eastern France, Germany and Poland are also facing an intense heat wave.
In Greece, the authorities decreed on Friday the closure of the Acropolis of Athens during the hottest hours of the day and on Saturday they announced the same measure.
In the United States, an intense heat wave extends from California to Texas and a peak in temperatures is expected this weekend.
In the southwestern states, millions of people have suffered during the week from the onslaught of extreme heat that poses a risk to the elderly, construction workers, delivery drivers and the homeless.
Phoenix, the capital of Arizona, registered its fifteenth consecutive day above 43ºC on Friday, according to the US National Weather Service (NWS).
In Death Valley, California, a violent fire broke out on Friday. This area, which is one of the hottest places on Earth, can also reach new temperature peaks on Sunday with up to 54ºC.
Some regions of China, including the capital Beijing, have also suffered spells of intense heat combined with heavy rain for weeks.
In Japan, the weather agency urged people to take precautions against heat stroke this weekend, as temperatures of 38 and 39°C are expected on Sunday and Monday.
