From Scandinavia to the Alps, people across Europe have endured sweltering conditions as a heatwave linked to dozens of deaths spreads eastwards, with record-breaking temperatures breaching 40C in some spots.
Denmark logged its highest-ever temperature on Saturday after the United Kingdom, France, Switzerland and Germany had all experienced record heat in June and the weather system began rolling towards Poland.
Extreme heat was causing growing damage to one of Germany's main east-west motorways, forcing additional closures and lengthy traffic delays, after the heat led to the bitumen splitting.
The affected section of the A2 motorway, which connects Berlin with western Germany, was steadily expanding near the town of Ziesar, according to police.
"The A2 is continuing to break apart," a German police spokesman said on Saturday.
"As a result, one interchange after another has to be closed."
Traffic is being diverted onto local roads but authorities warned that some sections of the motorway in the Ziesar area, located in the eastern state of Brandenburg, have deteriorated so severely that vehicles can no longer travel safely across the surface.
The closures have led to traffic jams on one of Germany's most important transport corridors.
Heat damage to the roadway was first identified on Thursday near Burg in the direction of Hanover and between Ziesar and Wollin on the route towards Berlin.
Major congestion has also developed on diversion routes, police said, urging motorists to avoid the A2 over a wide area if possible.
Drivers who nevertheless choose to travel were advised to prepare for long delays by carrying sufficient water, food and any medication they require regularly.
"The heatwave is going to peak at the weekend at well over 40C in some parts of Germany," Donnerwetter.de meteorologist Karsten Brandt said.
On Friday, a new German record of 41.3C was hit near the city of Saarbruecken on the French border, Germany's National Meteorological Service said, citing preliminary data.
The Danish Meteorological Institute meanwhile reported a 37C reading north of the city of Aarhus on Saturday, the highest on record since measurements began in 1874.
Temperatures rose well over 30C across nearly all of Poland on Saturday.
In France, dozens of people, both young and old, have died during the heatwave.
Temperatures above 40C have disrupted rail travel and power generation, sparked alcohol bans, suspended schools and postponed outdoor events.
Italy's health ministry issued a red alert for the heatwave in 18 cities including Milan, Rome, Turin, Venice, Genoa, Florence and Bologna for Saturday and Sunday, with temperatures expected to climb as high as 39C.
Friday was the warmest June night on record in Bolzano in the Italian Alps, with overnight temperatures not dipping below 25.4C, the city's meteorologist Dieter Peterlin said on X.
The French prime minister's office said although the heatwave is moving on, pressure on the healthcare system would persist and hospitalisations would stay high for several days.
The most extreme heat is forecast to begin fading at the weekend, with heavy thunderstorms expected on Sunday.
Across Europe, cultural landmarks have had to close, farming has suffered and some hospitals have struggled to cope.
The heatwave has pushed temperatures well above their seasonal average, driven by a phenomenon known as an Omega block.
This weather pattern traps a bulging ball of hot air over regions for extended periods, with cooler air on its fringes.
Demand for electric fans has shot up, and Asian air conditioning makers have reported a European sales boom.
with DPA
