A heat wave already roasting Canada, the United States and parts of Europe is expected to intensify this weekend, prompting weather-related health concerns and cancellations.
June has already been marked as the hottest ever recorded globally, according to NASA data, and many climate analysts have warned that July could be just as hot.
Temperatures are skyrocketing from coast to coast in the United States and parts of Canada are facing similar weekend forecasts. Europe, which just escaped a dangerous hot spell, is expected to climb back into scorching temperatures next week.
Here’s a look at the weather in store for Europe, Canada and the U.S.:
Europe
The record summer weather may be best exemplified in Europe, where June ushered in history-making temperatures.
France, which just saw relief from June’s heat, will see temperatures climb this weekend before it settles into another hot spell by Tuesday. The heat is likely to exacerbate drought conditions, Reuters reported, which has impacted nuclear power generation and “roasted” crops for farmers.
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Water use has also been restricted in about 61 regions.
The French national temperature record was set on June 28 at 46 C, according to Météo France, the French meteorological agency.
Another bout of hot weather could blanket France, the U.K., Spain, Portugal, and Germany, among others next week, Météo France said.
While the forecasts are not yet considered definitive, a week of 40 C-plus heat could be on the horizon.
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United States
Temperatures have soared across the U.S. in recent days and more heat is on the way.
A heat wave has closed in on the Midwest over the past few days, including Chicago, St. Louis and Cleveland, and is continuing to cook the East Coast.
In Omaha, where temperatures felt like 97 Fahrenheit (36 C) on Friday, employees of the National Weather Service station there attempted to bake biscuits in a car sitting in a parking lot.
On Friday, Washington, D.C. could top 100 F (38 C) and Philadephia 97 F (36 C).
New York is forecast to reach 91 F (32 c), with temperatures feeling like 110 with humidity.
Saturday and Sunday will see temperatures hover around the same marks.
The sweltering conditions put a lid on the New York City Triathlon, scheduled for Sunday, and a horse race in upstate New York on Saturday.
The cancellation followed an excessive heat warning issued by the U.S. National Weather Service across much of the country.
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“There are 124 million people under a heat advisory or excessive heat warning — that’s a third of the population,” meteorologist David Roth told Reuters.
There are also fears about the impact on hydro.
Americans who live in an area impacted by the heat are being asked to conserve energy when possible, as too much stress on the system could lead to outages. New York utility company Con Edison told CNN that it is “ready for what the heat will bring” and is “poised to respond” to any outages.
In Chicago, public housing officials will conduct well-being checks on residents and ensuring temperatures in non-air conditioned units don’t hit dangerous levels. The regional train service has also been forced to slow down due to the excessive heat.
In Detroit, precautions are being taken at Detroit Receiving Hospital as temperatures spike. Intravenous fluids that are normally stored at room temperature are being cooled with fans, the medical director told The Associated Press.
The temperature there on Friday hit 92 F (33 C) and Saturday 98 F (37 C), feeling more like 111 with humidity (44).
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Canada
Just across the border in Windsor, Ont., things aren’t much better. The southernmost city in Canada will cook this weekend, as well, with temperatures reaching the same on Saturday — 37 C. The humidity will also make it feel more like 40 or higher, Environment Canada said.
A huge swath of southern Ontario is under an extreme heat warning. According to Environment Canada, the temperature in Toronto was forecast to reach 34 C on Friday and Saturday, feeling warmer with the humidity. Saturday is on track to be the hottest day of the year so far for southern Ontario.
The same goes for a large part of Quebec. Montreal could see upwards of 30 C on Friday.
The heat wave is likely to make its way into most of Atlantic Canada this weekend, as well, but rain could reduce the impact.
There is some respite in store for Canada, however. As Global News Chief meteorologist Anthony Farnell said previously, rain in the forecast for Sunday in some areas, including Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal, and Kingston, could bring down the temperatures.
— With files from the Associated Press and Reuters
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