Europe temperature and heatwave map
This view is centred on Europe and shows the air temperature two metres above the ground, in degrees Celsius, from the NOAA GFS model. A heatwave is a spell of unusually high temperatures lasting several days, so the goal here is to recognise one forming.
A typical event starts when a stable area of high pressure settles over the region and a southerly flow pulls hot air north from Africa. On the map, the first sign is a wide patch of orange and red spreading over Iberia, France or Italy, with little cloud over it.
Use the slider to check how the hot air moves. Over 48 hours you can see whether the heat spreads towards Germany and Central Europe, stays in place, or is pushed away by a cooler Atlantic front. Compare daytime and night-time to spot tropical nights, when temperatures remain high after dark.
Remember that the scale is in absolute temperature, not in comparison with the local average, and the grid is 0.25 degrees, so cities and valleys can be warmer than the map shows. The forecast is renewed four times a day.