Key facts
- Central and eastern Europe are experiencing record-breaking temperatures.
- Record heat in Europe has led to wildfires, droughts, and power plant shutdowns.
- Another heat wave is expected in central and western Europe next week.
- Temperatures exceeded 40 C in Seoul and other South Korean cities on Friday.
- Seoul recorded a temperature of 40.2 C on Friday.
- South Korea is experiencing a high number of heat wave days and tropical nights this summer.
Central and eastern Europe are currently enduring record-breaking temperatures, a phenomenon that has already resulted in significant consequences including widespread wildfires, severe droughts, and the shutdown of power plants. The heat wave is not expected to abate soon, with projections indicating that another pulse of extreme heat will affect central and western Europe next week. This ongoing thermal stress poses considerable challenges to infrastructure and public health across the continent.