Cooling off
Temperatures in Germany were above 39 degrees Celsius (100.4 degrees Fahrenheit), on July 4. Hot, yes, but not quite as hot as in 2003, when temperatures reached 40.2 degrees. People stayed indoors or tried to cool off in open-air pools. In this picture, a boy runs through the water installation “Hexagonal Water Pavilion” by Danish artist Jeppe Hein in Nuremberg. 
Hottest in almost a century
The southern countries of Europe are usually hotter in the summer, with Madrid recording its highest temperature in 95 years – close to 40 C (104 F). The weather conditions are pretty much the same in Italy, as seen in this picture where even a fan is unable to cool off the young men. 
Having fun in the heat
The incredibly hot weather could not deter people from engaging in fun activities. In Switzerland, where temperatures were recorded as high as 35 degrees Celsius, people pour water on each other during a water battle in Lausanne. 
Tanning and relaxing
It’s an ideal time to head to the beaches to relax and get some tan. Here, people are having a good time at a beach along the Vistula River in Warsaw, Poland. 
The beer garden respite
As Germany reels under heat, there is one thing which makes the hot weather not only bearable but also enjoyable – the beer gardens. The innumerable beer gardens in all big and small German towns provide much-needed respite to heat-stricken people. 
Animals more vulnerable to heat than humans
The heat wave not only affects humans, it can also kill animals. According to the German Association for Animal Welfare, pet owners must attend to their pets regularly in this weather and make sure they have enough water and shade. 
Beautiful!
Tourists looking for sun and beach time don’t mind the hot weather. “Beautiful. We’re coping very well,” said Petroneo Zaldumbide, a 65-year-old Ecuadorean on holiday in Spain. 
‘A new normal’
Scientists say the new heat wave patterns are the result of a changing climate and global warming. As heat waves grow more frequent in Europe – due to a mass of hot air from Africa pushing northward – “it does resonate with a much wider audience that this is connected to climate change and we’re facing a new normal,” said Maarten van Aalst, director of the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Center. 
