The heat wave in Europe over the last week:
Note: these aren't temperatures but a metric of "conditions."
The Eiffel Tower was closed yesterday because of the heat. 42.8°C in Portugal (109°F). Mora, Portugal 46.1°C (115°F) yesterday. (That's like Arizona!)
Working outdoors has also been banned during the hottest parts of the day on building sites, roads, and farms until September, in Lombardy.
In Germany, record-breaking temperatures of 100 degrees Fahrenheit could take place on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Hospital admissions rose by 20% in the Tuscany region in Italy, according to local reports.
Link.
I found
this image depicting air conditioning around the world. Only 10% in Europe? Or is that just the UK? 17%
in Portugal. 19%
in Germany. 40-50% in Italy.
I couldn't find a systematic list of all countries.
BTW under 5% of building in India have A/C.
I don't have A/C here in Oregon, which is fine with me, I don't like it at all because of the feeling of being cooped up. I prefer to keep the windows open, which is how I grew up, and I use a fan. I keep track of the daily weather where I live, and in the last 12 years (2012-2024) the average maximum daily temperature here is 39.2°C (102.5°F), occurring on average on July 25th. But the average of the last 5 years is 41.2°C (106.2°F).
I survived the great 2021 heat wave here in the Pacific Northwest, which got up to, where I live, 47.2°C (117°F), and I didn't have A/C. Not any permanent damage as far as I'm concerned, but I wouldn't be surprised if there was a little of something. Uncharacteristically, that maximum occurred on June 28th, showing there was something more going on besides just global warming.
The heat wave was characterized as a heat dome because of the extreme temperatures and the exceptionally strong ridge centered over the area, whose probability of formation was linked to the effects of climate change by multiple studies.
I think I once read it was the 5th worst heat wave in recorded history, but I can't find that now.