(Bloomberg) -- London will shrug off its relatively cool summer to reach 31C (88F) on Friday, while extreme heat across the Mediterranean will shut the Acropolis in Athens this afternoon.
After a rainy start to July, warmer air from the continent will briefly raise temperatures in the UK over the coming days.
“The heat doesn’t look to last long though, as a frontal system pushes the warm air away and things turn more unsettled at the weekend,” said Rebekah Hicks, deputy chief meteorologist at the Met Office.
Further south, a blast of Saharan heat is bringing temperatures above 40C to Greece, Italy and Spain, with parts of France also reaching that mark by the weekend. That will result in much of the Mediterranean reaching the highest risk level for forest fires by Sunday, according to Copernicus.
Climate change means summers in Europe are getting hotter, with more frequent and intense heat waves. Southeast Europe has been worst hit this year but heat is spreading north and west this weekend, boosting cooling demand to above normal levels.
In the Valle Medio del Guadalquivir near Cordoba in Spain, temperatures may exceed 44C.
Emergency heat alerts have been issued for many Italian cities, pushing up demand for air-conditioning. Electricity consumption for this time of the year in Italy jumped to the highest since power grid operator Terna SpA began compiling records in 2017.
In Greece, fires have forced evacuations on many islands this summer, and parts of the mainland will soar to 43C today. Nine fire-fighting vehicles and two aircraft brought a blaze in Varimpompi, less than 25 kilometers (16 miles) north of Athens, under partial control on Wednesday.
Residents of the village of Sofiko in Peloponnese were told to stand ready to evacuate as high winds fanned a large forest fire that broke out near the main highway linking Corinth to Epidavros, the site of an ancient theater.
Another blaze in northern Greece flared near the Evzonon border crossing with North Macedonia, while a wildfire is also burning in Agalas on the island of Zakinthos.
Minimum temperatures in the Greek capital are forecast to remain at 27C or above for almost three weeks.
Outside work must be halted between midday and 5 p.m. when temperatures exceed 40C, with companies facing fines if they don’t comply, according to the country’s Labor Ministry. The ancient Acropolis site in Athens will also close during that afternoon period on Wednesday.
Countries across the Balkans have joined forces to help contain wildfires, sending planes and helicopters to battle blazes in North Macedonia.
Bulgaria’s Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev said firefighters, soldiers and volunteers were at their limits, and urged agricultural and construction companies with heavy machinery to assist their efforts. Residents of the village of Voden, close to the Turkish border, fled after dozens of houses caught fire, according to BNT television.
Romanian authorities extended a red alert for heat across the entire country on Thursday, and held discussions with electricity suppliers about measures to avoid overwhelming the power grid.
Listen on Zero: Cities Must Be Redesigned for a Future of Extreme Heat
--With assistance from Sotiris Nikas, Irina Vilcu and Slav Okov.
(Updates with new fire in Greece in 10th paragraph and evacuation of Bulgarian village in 14th)
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