The extreme conditions, which began last week and continued to spike on Thursday, were caused by a heat dome, a high-pressure system that traps heat and humidity.
The World Meteorological Organization reported in April that Europe is warming at a rate that is twice the global average due to the climate crisis, with 95% of the continent experiencing above-average annual temperatures last year.
With no air conditioning in much of Europe, there is little relief to be found from the sweltering weather. Several European governments issued health warnings advising the public to minimize unnecessary travel and carry water while outdoors.
The heat has also proven fatal, with five dead from heat exposure in Italy and 40 drowning deaths reported in France, where many young people have taken to swimming unattended in lakes and canals, The New York Times reported.
Photos show how extreme heat is affecting businesses, infrastructure, and daily life across Europe — and how locals and tourists are doing their best to beat the heat.
On Tuesday, a thermometer in Brussels displayed a temperature of 45 degrees Celsius, or 113 degrees Fahrenheit.
A thermometer in Brussels.Thierry Monasse/Getty Images
Dogs and humans alike splashed in sidewalk sprinklers and fountains around Brussels for a break from the heat.
A dog played with water during a heat wave in Brussels.Nicolas TUCAT/AFP via Getty Images
Billboards in Venice, Italy, issued heat wave alerts on Tuesday, when temperatures reached 95 degrees Fahrenheit.
A heat wave alert in Venice.Simone Padovani/Getty Images
Tourists on the Ponte della Paglia bridge in Venice carried umbrellas for some relief from the sun.
Tourists in the sun on the Ponte della Paglia in Venice.Simone Padovani/Getty Images
The UK experienced its hottest June day on record on Wednesday, with temperatures reaching 97 degrees Fahrenheit, causing train cancellations.
Train cancellations in Liverpool, UK.Tamara Davison/Anadolu via Getty Images
Signs at King's Cross station in London advised train passengers to "only travel if absolutely necessary" on Wednesday and Thursday.
A sign showing hot weather travel advice at King's Cross station in London.Toby Shepheard/AFP via Getty Images
Riders on the tube in London carried fans to cool themselves off.
Passengers on the London Underground.Richard Baker/In Pictures via Getty Images
Sainsbury's supermarket locations covered their refrigerated sections with blinds to help keep food cold.
A Sainsbury's supermarket in Guildford, UK.JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images
In Paris, the Louvre announced it would close early through June 27 due to the extreme temperatures.
An announcement of the Louvre's early closure due to a heat wave.Mohamad Salaheldin Abdelghani Alsayed/Anadolu via Getty Images
Ice cream sold out at supermarkets across Paris amid skyrocketing demand for frozen treats.
A nearly empty frozen food aisle at a Franprix store in Paris.Riccardo Milani/Hans Lucas/AFP via Getty Images
Sea lions snacked on ice cubes at Paris Zoological Park.
A zookeeper gave a piece of ice to a sea lion at the Paris Zoological Park.Dimitar DILKOFF/AFP via Getty Images
Zookeepers at Safaripark Beekse Bergen in the Netherlands provided giraffe-friendly ice cream.
Giraffes ate ice cream to cool down at Safaripark Beekse Bergen in Hilvarenbeek, the Netherlands.Iris van den Broek/ANP/AFP via Getty Images
In Tilburg, the Netherlands, locals stocked up on fans.
A woman holding a fan in Tilburg, the Netherlands.ROB ENGELAAR/ANP/AFP via Getty Images
In Germany, winter maintenance vehicles in Unstrut-Hainich-Kreis sprayed down roads to keep the asphalt from softening.
A winter maintenance vehicle in Unstrut-Hainich-Kreis, Gemany.Jacob Schröter/picture alliance via Getty Images
Parts of Germany's A2 highway still had to close on Thursday after the high temperatures damaged the road's surface.
Hot air shimmered over the A2 highway.Klaus-Dietmar Gabbert/picture alliance via Getty Images
A farm in Oberried, Germany, utilized a misting system to help alleviate heat stress for its cows.
Cows stood in a barn under a misting system.Philipp von Ditfurth/picture alliance via Getty Images
Across Europe, government organizations advised people to stay hydrated.
A man filled a plastic water bottle in Piazza della Scala in Milan, Italy.Emanuele Cremaschi/Getty Images
Read next
Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know
Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know
Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know
Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know
You're currently following this author!
Want to unfollow? Unsubscribe via the link in your email.
Talia Lakritz is a Life correspondent at Business Insider covering politics and power through a lifestyle and visual storytelling lens. She has reported from the White House as well as military installations, mansions, and museums across the country, bringing readers inside the people, places, and systems that influence American life through immersive features.Previously, she wrote for The New York Jewish Week and SciShow Space.Talia holds a BA in English with a concentration in Creative Writing from Barnard College of Columbia University and ordination as an interfaith minister from One Spirit Learning Alliance. She hopes to one day visit all 50 states and all 14 public presidential libraries.Talia can be found on LinkedIn, Instagram, and X.Politics and power:
