By Howard Lloyd Neil Shaw
France and the rest of Europe continue to grapple with the first significant heatwave this summer, with health warnings in place on Tuesday, even as conditions start to ease in some parts of the region. Sweltering temperatures are predicted to hit 40C in Paris and remain unusually high in Belgium and the Netherlands. In contrast, temperatures are dropping in Portugal, where no red heat warnings have been issued. In France, the national weather agency Meteo-France has put several departments under the highest red alert, with the Paris region particularly affected. The heatwave – characterised by consecutive days of extremely high temperature – is anticipated to intensify on Tuesday and over 1,300 schools are expected to be partially or fully closed, according to the French education ministry. Visitors without tickets to the Eiffel Tower were advised to delay their visits, and the summit of the city’s landmark will be closed until Thursday. In Spain, Barcelona recorded the hottest June month since records began more than a century ago. Meanwhile, 17 out of Italy’s 27 major cities are in the grip of a heatwave, as per health officials. Meteo-France has issued a warning about the increased risk of wildfires due to drought-ridden soil, exacerbated by June’s lack of rainfall and the recent temperature spike. Climate specialists predict that future summers could surpass any previously recorded temperatures, reports Wales Online . By 2100, France could experience an increase in temperature up to 4C, with annual temperatures exceeding 40C and extreme heat surges potentially hitting 50C. Meteo-France also forecasts a tenfold surge in the number of heatwave days by 2100. In Portugal, Lisbon is expected to hit a typical 33C for this time of year, but some inland regions could see temperatures soaring to 43C, according to the national weather agency. On June 29, Portugal broke its June temperature records in two locations.