https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Europe in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed Air conditioning is not common in Germany, especially in private homes, but there other ways to keep yourself and your home cool during a heatwave. https://www.thelocal.com/20250813/six-ways-to-keep-your-german-home-cool-without-air-conditioning Wed, 13 Aug 2025 13:57:28 +0200 six-ways-to-keep-your-german-home-cool-without-air-conditioning As France sizzles under what weather forecasters have described as "exceptional" temperatures, French people have been speaking out about the heat, describing it as a 'nightmare', 'hell' and 'not normal'. https://www.thelocal.com/20250812/not-normal-a-nightmare-french-react-to-searing-heatwave Tue, 12 Aug 2025 16:45:16 +0200 not-normal-a-nightmare-french-react-to-searing-heatwave Summers in France have always been hot, especially in the south, so do the latest wave of extreme weather warnings really mark a rise in temperatures? Or just a change in weather forecasting techniques and media attention? https://www.thelocal.com/20250715/are-summers-in-france-really-getting-hotter Tue, 15 Jul 2025 14:47:44 +0200 are-summers-in-france-really-getting-hotter A prolonged heatwave across northern Sweden has led to a rise in hospital admissions among elderly patients with chronic conditions. https://www.thelocal.com/20250724/elderly-people-hospitalised-due-to-heatwave-in-northern-sweden Thu, 24 Jul 2025 13:28:34 +0200 elderly-people-hospitalised-due-to-heatwave-in-northern-sweden In the last two weeks, Sweden has seen on average one drowning accident a day. https://www.thelocal.com/20250721/number-of-drownings-spikes-as-swedes-cool-off-in-hot-weather Mon, 21 Jul 2025 13:08:12 +0200 number-of-drownings-spikes-as-swedes-cool-off-in-hot-weather Two huge wildfires on Tuesday saw people evacuated in France's second-largest city while an airport, train line and several motorways were closed - so is France prepared to deal with its increasingly severe summer fires? https://www.thelocal.com/20250709/is-france-ready-for-a-summer-of-increasingly-severe-wildfires Wed, 09 Jul 2025 13:30:52 +0200 is-france-ready-for-a-summer-of-increasingly-severe-wildfires Human-caused climate change made recent European heatwaves up to 4C hotter in many cities, pushing temperatures into deadly territory for thousands of vulnerable people, scientists have said. https://www.thelocal.com/20250709/climate-change-made-european-heatwave-up-to-4c-hotter-study Wed, 09 Jul 2025 11:03:43 +0200 climate-change-made-european-heatwave-up-to-4c-hotter-study As France swelters under an early summer heatwave, a fiery battle has broken out between politicians over the use of air conditioning. https://www.thelocal.com/20250702/french-politicians-embroiled-in-fiery-debate-over-air-conditioning Wed, 02 Jul 2025 14:23:14 +0200 french-politicians-embroiled-in-fiery-debate-over-air-conditioning School closures, speed restrictions and a nuclear reactor shutdown - France faces historic heat as weather forecasters have extended into Wednesday a rare red level warning for areas including Paris. https://www.thelocal.com/20250630/wildfires-break-out-in-france-as-most-of-country-put-on-extreme-heat-alert Mon, 30 Jun 2025 18:33:02 +0200 wildfires-break-out-in-france-as-most-of-country-put-on-extreme-heat-alert In other parts of the world, 25C (77F) is an average summer’s day, so why do Swedes feel the heat more, and what can be done to mitigate the effect of heatwaves in the future? https://www.thelocal.com/20240626/why-are-temperatures-of-25c-considered-a-heatwave-in-sweden Wed, 26 Jun 2024 17:07:50 +0200 why-are-temperatures-of-25c-considered-a-heatwave-in-sweden Authorities across Southern Europe urged people to seek shelter and protect the most vulnerable on Sunday, as punishing temperatures from Spain to Portugal, Italy and France climbed higher in the summer's first major heatwave. https://www.thelocal.com/20250628/europe-bakes-in-summers-first-heatwave-as-continent-warms Sat, 28 Jun 2025 15:48:00 +0200 europe-bakes-in-summers-first-heatwave-as-continent-warms A two-year-old boy has died after being left in a car in southern France, which is currently in the grip of a heatwave. https://www.thelocal.com/20250627/toddler-dies-after-being-left-in-car-during-french-heatwave Fri, 27 Jun 2025 14:14:02 +0200 toddler-dies-after-being-left-in-car-during-french-heatwave From heat domes to tropical nights and cool islands - as heatwaves become more common and more intense in France, French vocabulary has expanded to discuss them in detail. Here's the vocab you need to keep up with hot weather chat. https://www.thelocal.com/20230816/essential-french-vocab-for-a-heatwave Wed, 16 Aug 2023 13:01:34 +0200 essential-french-vocab-for-a-heatwave A blackout that struck the heart of Paris on Monday was caused by recent high temperatures, says the power grid operator, renewing fears of whether the capital's infrastructure can cope with increasingly intense heatwaves. https://www.thelocal.com/20250623/paris-blackout-caused-by-heatwave-says-network-operator Mon, 23 Jun 2025 17:14:38 +0200 paris-blackout-caused-by-heatwave-says-network-operator In some parts of Switzerland, taking a dip in public fountains has become a much-loved ritual. But is it allowed everywhere? https://www.thelocal.com/20230719/where-is-bathing-in-fountains-allowed-in-switzerland Wed, 19 Jul 2023 11:02:15 +0200 where-is-bathing-in-fountains-allowed-in-switzerland Whether you're a sun-seeker or hoping to avoid the heat - here are the towns in France that have recorded the hottest temperatures in recent years. https://www.thelocal.com/20230821/map-which-are-the-hottest-towns-in-france Mon, 21 Aug 2023 13:35:09 +0200 map-which-are-the-hottest-towns-in-france France, like its Mediterranean neighbours, is seeing an increasing number of severe wildfires - so how does this connect to heatwaves and rising temperatures? https://www.thelocal.com/20230727/do-heatwaves-cause-wildfires-in-france Thu, 27 Jul 2023 19:07:57 +0200 do-heatwaves-cause-wildfires-in-france The Mediterranean Sea reached its highest temperature on record this week during an exceptional heatwave, researchers told AFP on Tuesday. https://www.thelocal.com/20230725/28-7c-mediterranean-sea-breaks-daily-temperature-record Wed, 26 Jul 2023 00:58:11 +0200 28-7c-mediterranean-sea-breaks-daily-temperature-record Italian cities “have no long-term future” as tourist destinations because they’re becoming too hot, Germany’s health minister said as he described intense heat while visiting Italy on holiday. https://www.thelocal.com/20230724/heatwaves-mean-italian-tourism-has-no-future-german-health-minister Mon, 24 Jul 2023 13:12:24 +0200 heatwaves-mean-italian-tourism-has-no-future-german-health-minister Italy was braced for historic high temperatures in the coming days after the health ministry issued a red alert for 16 cities including Rome, Bologna and Florence. https://www.thelocal.com/20230715/italy-faces-weekend-predictions-of-historic-temperature-highs Sat, 15 Jul 2023 14:17:51 +0200 italy-faces-weekend-predictions-of-historic-temperature-highs