A blistering summer heatwave trapped by an intense "heat dome" has shattered all-time national temperature records across Central and Eastern Europe.

 

Extreme heat breaks temperature records in central and eastern Europe

A blistering summer heatwave trapped by an intense "heat dome" has shattered all-time national temperature records across Central and Eastern Europe. The extreme weather has pushed temperatures well above 40°C, triggering widespread grid failures, severe agricultural damage, and critical infrastructure shutdowns due to record-low river levels.

 

Broken Temperature Records

Meteorological agencies across the region have confirmed historic highs:

• Slovakia: Hit an all-time national record of 42.2°C (108°F) in the southern village of Dolné Plachtince.
• Austria: Set a new all-time high of 41.2°C in Bad Deutsch-Altenburg, breaking a record of 41.0°C set just a day prior in Vienna.
• Hungary: Budapest logged its warmest overnight temperature on record, failing to drop below 28°C (82°F), with daytime temperatures peaking near 40°C.

Energy and Infrastructure Crises

The persistent heat wave, paired with a severe, long-term drought, has crippled local energy grids:

• Nuclear Power Disruptions: Critically low water levels and soaring temperatures on the Danube River forced Hungary to temporarily slash production at its sole nuclear power plant down to 10% of normal capacity. Similarly, Slovenia’s Krško nuclear plant was forced to reduce its reactor output to 80%.
• Coal Plant Shutdowns: In Poland, authorities were forced to entirely shut down the Kozienice and Połaniec coal-fired power plants because the Vistula River dropped too low to provide vital cooling water.
• Hydroelectric Failures: Slovakia's massive Gabčíkovo hydroelectric plant had to shut down seven of its eight turbines due to the lowest July water flow ever recorded on the Danube.
• Commercial Shipping Stalls: Critical freight routes along Germany’s Rhine River have seen water levels hit historic lows, forcing some cargo services to stop entirely.

Regional Impacts and Emergency Measures

The Copernicus Climate Change Service notes that Europe continues to warm at twice the global average, worsening regional emergencies:

• Balkan Wildfires: Emergency crews across Serbia and Albania are battling fast-spreading blazes fueled by dry pine forests and gale-force winds.
• Power Rationing: Moldova and Hungary have instituted emergency conservation laws, banning freight trains during peak evening hours, turning off monument lighting, and asking citizens to severely restrict electricity and lawn watering.
• Health Alerts: Italy placed all 27 of its primary monitored cities under a maximum red heat alert for the first time. Public health agencies report that the broader European heatwaves have already caused over 25,000 excess deaths across the continent.