Marek Kučera 
On June 17th, the town of In Guezzam in southern Algeria recorded a searing +46.6°C, an extreme temperature 5°C above the all-time average for this period. This exceptional heat is not just a local anomaly—it’s the engine behind the intense early-summer heatwave sweeping across large parts of Europe. +43.7°C was observed in Morocco.
This blistering heat is the result of a powerful Saharan heat dome, a persistent high-pressure system that traps sweltering air near the surface, dries the atmosphere, and prevents cloud formation. Under this dome, the central Sahara is experiencing abnormally high temperatures that are radiating northward.
The extreme warmth is being funneled by upper-level winds across the Mediterranean, carrying hot, dry air into Spain, France, Italy, and even into Germany and the Balkans, significantly amplifying temperatures. This air mass not only raises daytime highs but also keeps nighttime lows elevated, increasing the risk of heat stress and wildfires, and placing pressure on energy systems and agriculture.
Such events underscore the growing climatic interconnection between North Africa and Europe, where a warming Sahara—accelerated by climate change and land degradation—is becoming a more frequent source of intense heat intrusions into the European continent. These intrusions are starting earlier in the season and lasting longer, reshaping weather patterns and increasing the intensity and frequency of European heatwaves.
The +46.6°C reading in In Guezzam is a clear signal: as the Sahara burns, Europe sweats. The implications for health, ecosystems, and economies are profound—and growing with each degree.
Illustration picture: https://weatherandclimate.com/algeria/tamanrasset/in-guezzam
