The island of Sicily in Italy may have set a new record for having the hottest day ever registered in Europe. Temperatures recorded by a weather station in Syracuse hit a blistering 119.8 degrees Fahrenheit Wednesday, the hottest on record.
If the readings are verified by the World Meteorological Organization, it will officially set a new European heat record, beating the previous record of 118.4 degrees set in Greece on July 10, 1977.
The Sicilian Agrometeorological Information Service said temperatures in the island continue to be greatly elevated as the summer heatwave sweeps through the region. The agency expects the temperatures to remain high throughout the week, at least until Friday, when winds are expected to cool down the island.
The agency, which operated the station that posted the record-breaking temperatures, said it is confident that the readings were accurate. The station reportedly uses modern and high-quality instruments that were well-maintained.
Italian officials have already issued heat warnings and wildlife alerts because of the heatwave. Spain also issued similar warnings, informing residents to anticipate extreme temperatures throughout the week.
Weather experts explained that the high temperatures in the region began earlier in the week after a zone of upper-level high pressure created a so-called heat dome. This affected most of southern Europe, northern Africa, and the Mediterranean region.
The heat dome is forecasted to remain over most of southern Europe and northern African. Forecasters expect the heat to peak in intensity by Thursday and Friday before gradually cooling down.
Temperatures in Tunis - the capital of Tunisia - hit a high of more than 120 degrees Wednesday. In Kairouan city just north of Tunisia, temperatures hit 122.5 degrees. Several power outages were reported in both cities and neighboring regions as more people used air conditioners and fans, taxing local power grids.
Earlier this month, Greece set record high temperatures during what experts have said was the worst heat wave to have hit the region in more than three decades. The high temperatures cause multiple wildfires that destroyed tens of thousands of acres of land in Italy, Greece, Tunisia, and Turkey.
On Tuesday, a devastating wildfire spread throughout Algeria. The blaze destroyed hundreds of homes and killed at least 42 people.
