Paris Is Burning

EUROPE

Paris Is Burning

An unprecedented heatwave is sweeping across Europe, shattering temperature records in France, Belgium and the Netherlands.

Paris reached 109 degrees Fahrenheit, the hottest it has ever been, the Washington Post reported. Meanwhile, temperatures in the Netherlands crossed 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius) for the first time in history. Germany reached a record 107 degrees (41.7 Celsius).

The heat is especially punishing because most buildings in European cities are not equipped with air conditioning, the paper noted.

Various commentators are linking the extreme weather to climate change, though weather and climate are different things. Meanwhile, some studies show that heatwaves are becoming more frequent and severe and lasting longer as the result of the broader increase in temperatures.

Over the weekend, the heatwave is expected to move across Scandinavia, potentially covering much of the Arctic Ocean and Greenland and predicted to result in a record low in sea ice.