Germany has recorded its highest temperature in history as a severe heatwave continues to sweep across Europe, triggering emergency health alerts and widespread travel disruption.
Preliminary data from Germany’s national weather service shows that temperatures rose to 41.5°C (106.7°F) in the eastern town of Drewitz on Saturday. This figure breaks the previous national record of 41.3°C, set just one day earlier near Saarbrücken. While the new record is still awaiting official verification, meteorologists have described the situation as an unprecedented weather event for the country.
The extreme weather system has begun moving eastward, bringing record-breaking heat to Denmark, Switzerland, and the Czech Republic, and is expanding into Poland, Hungary, Romania, and Moldova. Millions of residents across central and eastern Europe are currently under red and amber weather warnings as local authorities issue alerts about dangerous conditions.
The heatwave has already caused severe disruptions and health emergencies across Western Europe. France has recorded multiple heat-related deaths and a sharp increase in emergency hospital admissions. Additionally, French emergency services reported a notable rise in wildfires compared with the same period last year, due to dry conditions.
In Italy, the health ministry set the temperature threshold at 39 °C for 18 major cities, including Milan, Rome, Turin, Venice, Genoa, Florence, and Bologna. The country is also managing worsening drought conditions, with water levels in the River Po dropping to historic lows.
