Foreign Office issues ‘red alert’ for Scots as heatwave causes chaos on holidays

Scottish and UK holidaymakers are on high alert as popular destinations Greece, Cyprus, Turkey, and Spain issue a “red alert” due to soaring temperatures. Brits planning to jet off to these European Union hotspots are being urged to stay vigilant and take necessary measures to cope with the heat.

The mercury is set to hit record levels across Europe, prompting Cyprus to declare a RED weather warning. This comes amid extreme conditions in places like Majorca and Austria, just as the summer travel peak gets underway.

READ MORE – Edinburgh bakery hits the market two years after it was abandoned

READ MORE – Edinburgh woman left with ‘no choice’ but to move out after huge rent increase

A sweltering heatwave, attributed to warm winds from North Africa, is sweeping across the region. Greek meteorologist Panos Giannopoulos spoke to ERT, the state TV channel, saying, “This heatwave will go down in history.”

The UK’s Foreign Office has consequently “updated” its travel guidance for these countries. Giannopoulos added, “In the 20th century, we never had a heatwave before June 19. We have had several in the 21st century, but none before June 15.”

Meanwhile, Majorca has been battling severe floods that wreaked havoc at Son Sant Joan airport, leading to significant disruptions as Aena AENA, reports Birmingham Live.

MC announced it was unsafe to operate.

Turkey’s temperatures are soaring into the mid-30s, while Greece experiences highs surpassing 45C, making for potentially dangerous conditions for unprepared travellers.

As the Summer Olympic Games in Paris, France approach, authors of a report titled ‘Rings of Fire: Heat Risks at the 2024 Paris Olympics’ have issued a stark warning: “The fact that the Olympics will take place during high summer means that the threat of a devastating hot spell is a very real one.”

Jamie Farndale, a British men’s rugby sevens player, expressed his concerns, stating: “What we do is push ourselves to our limits, and if we have to do so in conditions that are unsafe I don’t think the athlete would hold back.”

Rosie Mammatt, a meteorologist from the University of Reading, shared her insights with The Telegraph, saying: “We are already seeing very hot temperatures in the Mediterranean basin, and it looks like the summer could provide some more record-breaking temperatures.”

She added: “Sea surface temperatures in the Atlantic have been extremely high for a significant period of time, which has been influencing the weather we are getting. This will continue to affect temperatures and precipitation over Europe this summer.”