Central Europe faces record heat as Germany, Poland and Slovakia issue warnings; Hungary shuts nuclear plant

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8 days · 5 summary articles
Record heat and drought gripped Central Europe on Monday as authorities issued warnings, shut down critical infrastructure and urged public caution amid soaring temperatures.
Germany’s national weather service, the Deutscher Wetterdienst, issued official heat warnings for central and southern regions, including North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Hesse, Thuringia, Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria and parts of Saxony. The warnings, valid from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., cited expected perceived temperatures above 32 degrees Celsius, with extreme heat warnings triggered at 38 degrees. The service defines heat warnings as conditions where strong thermal stress is expected and indoor spaces fail to cool sufficiently overnight .
Poland’s Institute of Meteorology and Water Management issued first- and second-level heat alerts for southern provinces, with temperatures forecast between 30 and 37 degrees Celsius through Tuesday evening. The second-level alerts cover Lubusz, Lower Silesia, Opole, Silesia, parts of Lesser Poland, Subcarpathia, Lublin, Świętokrzyskie, Łódź, Greater Poland and Mazovia .
Slovakia’s Hydrometeorological Institute issued its highest-level heat warning for southwestern and southern central regions, with temperatures expected to exceed 38 degrees Celsius between 1 p.m. and 8 p.m. Additional high-temperature warnings were in effect for Trenčín and Košice regions, as well as districts in Prešov, with temperatures potentially surpassing 35 degrees. The country’s Public Health Authority warned that high outdoor temperatures could cause heatstroke, dizziness, nausea and, in extreme cases, fatal collapses, particularly among children, the elderly, pregnant women and those with chronic illnesses .
Hungary’s Paks Nuclear Power Plant began shutting down its last operational turbine on Sunday or Monday due to critically low Danube River water levels, according to communications chief Antal Kovács of MVM Paks Nuclear Power Plant Ltd. Kovács stated that the shutdown process involves gradual power reduction and sequential equipment deactivation, with continuous monitoring to ensure safety at all operational stages. He emphasized that nuclear safety remains the top priority and that such shutdowns, performed roughly 160 times in the plant’s history, carry minimal risk due to decades of experience and oversight by domestic and international safety organizations .
The Rhine River reached historic low water levels in Cologne, severely restricting inland shipping, while authorities in North Rhine-Westphalia called for a federal task force to address the economic impact . In Romania, the National Meteorological Administration issued red-code heat warnings for multiple counties, with temperatures expected to reach 41 degrees Celsius by Tuesday and tropical nights forecast nationwide .
Spain’s Aemet maintained heat alerts in Andalusia, Aragon, the Balearic Islands, Catalonia and Murcia, with temperatures in the Canary Islands locally reaching 40 degrees. The agency also warned of strong storms with hail in the lower Ebro Valley and Lleida province . Cyprus issued a yellow weather warning for inland temperatures of 40 degrees between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. .
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