Switzerland has broken its historic June heat record, which had stood for nearly eight decades. In Basel, in the northern part of the country, temperatures reached 38°C, or 100°F, according to data from MétéoSuisse.
The meteorological service announced that, for the first time since records began, temperatures exceeded 37°C during the month of June. The previous record had been set in 1947, when Basel, near the borders with Germany and France, recorded 36.9°C.
The new record was not limited to a single area. In northern Switzerland, high temperatures were recorded at six weather stations, confirming the intensity of the heatwave.
The severe heatwave has been affecting Switzerland for several days, as well as much of Europe. The Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology, MétéoSuisse, estimates that conditions will begin to ease on Monday north of the Alps, and possibly on Tuesday in the south.
“The end of the heatwave episode is highly likely in sight. Before we get there, however, one final hurdle must be cleared this weekend,” the agency said, warning about the days ahead.
In its latest bulletin, MétéoSuisse placed half the country under a level 4 alert on its five-point risk scale, indicating “great danger,” mainly for northern and western Switzerland.
