An extreme heatwave has hit Europe once again this week, following extreme weather in June. Several countries set heat temperature records including France, Germany, Belgium and Netherland.

The below figures show the 2-meter maximum daily temperature greater than 35°C on 25 July 2019 (left) and on 24 July 2019 (right). The figures are generated using the Global Weather Monitoring Prediction and Services System (GOPASS).

The below image shows the land surface temperature at 12:30 (UTC) on 25 July 2019. The map is generated using the Fengyun 3D/MERS. It is estimated that the land surface temperature in most of Spain, Portugal, Italy, France, Germany and Belgium was exceeding 50^oC while the land surface temperature in central France, central Spain and western Italy reaches as high as 60^oC. The white areas are the place covered by cloud.

The below image shows the 2-meter temperature anomaly based on a 1980-2010 reference climatology derived from CMA Atmospheric Reanalysis (CRA-40) at 15:00 (UTC) on 25 July 2019. It is clear that the 2-meter temperature across western Europe is 8^oC warmer than long-term average. 

This extreme heatwave is caused by strong upper ridge. It is expected that the heatwave will be over after 27 July due to the moving upper trough from the Atlantic.