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Denmark records hottest day in history amid Europe heatwave

From The Punch · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Denmark recorded its highest temperature ever at 37.0C on Saturday, breaking a previous record from 1975.
  • The heatwave has caused many people in Copenhagen to seek relief in water.
  • Scientists attribute the record heat to global warming and anticipate further temperature increases.

Denmark shattered its all-time temperature record on Saturday, reaching 37.0C amid a sweltering heatwave gripping Europe. The Danish Meteorological Institute (DMI) announced the new high, surpassing the previous record of 36.4C set in August 1975.

I’m feeling a bit better now, but yeah I’m slowly melting away.

— Lasse FjeldgaardA 26-year-old environmental engineer describing his experience in the Copenhagen heat.

The record was initially reported at 36.6C north of Odense around 2:00 pm, but the DMI later updated it to 37.0C, noting that the day was not yet over. This extreme heat has driven many residents in Copenhagen to seek refuge in the city's harbor and fountains.

"I don’t think anyone is built for these kinds of temperatures really. You’ve just got to stay hydrated and stay in the shade and watch out for your friends and strangers," said Serine Helland, a Norwegian consultant living in Copenhagen.

I don’t think anyone is built for these kinds of temperatures really. You’ve just got to stay hydrated and stay in the shade and watch out for your friends and strangers.

— Serine HellandA 28-year-old consultant from Norway living in Copenhagen, commenting on the extreme heat.

Meteorologists like Peter Tanev of TV2 have long anticipated such a record-breaking event, linking it to global warming. "We’ve been aware that the risk would be there, among other things because of global warming," Tanev commented. He added that severe heatwaves are becoming a regular feature of European summers and suggested it's only a matter of time before Denmark reaches 40C.

We’ve been aware that the risk would be there, among other things because of global warming.

— Peter TanevA meteorologist for broadcaster TV2, explaining the link between the heatwave and climate change.

The heatwave has coincided with the opening of the Roskilde music festival, where organizers have set up additional water stations for the estimated 50,000 attendees. Across Europe, nearly 200 million people were expected to face temperatures above 35C on Saturday, with numerous countries reporting record-breaking heat and scores of heat-related deaths and drowning accidents.

The question right now is, how long this record will stand. It’s probably only a matter of time before we reach 40 degrees in Denmark.

— Peter TanevA meteorologist for broadcaster TV2, commenting on future temperature expectations in Denmark.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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