Weather: European Heatwave Hits Germany

Germany is hurtling towards the hottest point of the year this weekend, national weather service the DWD said on Thursday. With highs of nearly 40C, experts are warning everyone to take care.

On Saturday and Sunday Germany will have a fever,” said Andreas Friedrich, spokesman from the DWD. Temperatures will build over Thursday and Friday, before in places hitting around 39C. Behind the extreme weather is a high pressure system from northern Africa.

After seeing off residual cloud cover from Thursday in the north, the whole of the country will be looking up at blue skies on Friday. Aside from along the Baltic coast and in higher parts of mountainous regions, temperatures will be over 30C. In the Upper Rhine area they will likely hit 35C. 

Read more: - The Local

Finland Weather: Warning issued as more than 22,000 lightning bolts rain down on Finland

The Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI) issued a warning shortly before 3pm Thursday of potentially dangerous thunderstorms in Central Finland, Southern Ostrobothnia and Central Ostrobothnia over the next few hours.

By 5pm more than 22,000 strikes had been recorded. "A record for this year", said FMI meteorologist Tuomo Bergman.

Meanwhile the temperature has climbed above 30 degrees Celsius in many areas. However Wednesday’s reading of 32.4 degrees in Liperi, North Karelia, still stands as the hottest of the year so far.

Read more: Warning issued as lightning bolts rain down on Finland | Yle Uutiset | yle.fi