An unprecedented heat wave is underway in France and the U.K. that is likely to topple all-time national high temperature records and potentially kill several thousand people. The scorching heat is moving north into a more vulnerable region after tormenting Spain and Portugal.
The manager of most of the United Kingdom's railway network warned passengers to not travel over Monday and Tuesday unless "absolutely necessary" because of a potentially record-breaking heat wave underway in France and the U.K.
Why it matters: Heat waves can have a brutal effect on infrastructure — like railways and tarmacs — not designed to withstand abnormally high temperatures, which can disrupt transportation for thousands of people when they should not be outside for a prolonged period of time.
U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who recently resigned from his post but is staying on until a replacement is chosen, has faced backlash for missing multiple emergency Cabinet meetings to discuss the country's dangerous heat wave.
Why it matters: The unprecedented heat wave is likely to set a new all-time national high temperature record, with the U.K. Met Office forecasting the country's first-ever occurrence of a temperature of 104°F (40°C) during the event, Axios' Andrew Freedman writes.
Wildfires are spreading across Europe and forcing more people to flee as a deadly heat wave envelopes much of the continent that officials warn is being aggravated by climate change.
The big picture: Firefighters are tackling blazes in searing heat in France, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Croatia and Slovenia, as well as Morocco's northern mountains — where a forest fire killed at least one person and caused over 1,000 families to evacuate.
A deadly heat wave is enveloping France and the U.K. after tormenting Spain and Portugal, bringing the likelihood of a new all-time high temperature record in both countries. Climate change is a key factorinvolved in this ongoing disaster, scientists say.
The big picture: This is one of the worst heat waves on record in Western Europe, and is accompanied by a wildfire crisis that has prompted thousands to evacuate parts of France, Spain and Portugal.
Why it matters: Through its photos, the JWST — which captures light in wavelengths the human eye can't see — will change the way the public and scientists understand the history of the universe.
