Southern Romania under Code Red heatwave, with temperatures to soar above 40 degrees Celsius

Update: The heatwave warning, including the Red Code for southern counties, has been extended until Wednesday morning. In addition, meteorologists are also forecasting storms across much of the country on Monday afternoon. A Red Code alert for severe storms, with powerful winds of up to 100 km/h, is in effect for Timiș, Arad, Bihor, and Satu Mare from 3:00 PM to 8 PM.

Initial story: The National Meteorological Administration (ANM) has issued a Code Red heat alert for several counties and the capital Bucharest, warning of extreme and persistent heat between July 7 at 10:00 AM and July 8 at 10:00 AM. The affected areas include the counties of Mehedinți, Gorj, Dolj, Olt, Vâlcea, Argeș, Teleorman, Giurgiu, Dâmbovița, Prahova, Buzău, Brăila, Ialomița, Călărași, Ilfov, and Bucharest.

In these regions, maximum daytime temperatures are expected to soar to between 38 and 41 degrees Celsius, while nighttime temperatures will remain uncomfortably high at 21 to 24 degrees.

The tropical nights and sustained heat are expected to generate a high level of thermal discomfort, with the temperature-humidity index (ITU) exceeding the critical threshold of 80 units, the ANM said.

The Code Red alert is the highest level of warning issued by ANM and indicates an extreme risk to health, particularly for vulnerable populations such as the elderly, children, and those with chronic illnesses.

In addition to the Code Red alert, ANM has also issued a Code Orange warning for Banat, southwestern Transylvania, southern Moldova, and the southern part of continental Dobrogea. In these areas, temperatures are forecast to reach 36 to 39 degrees, with nights remaining tropical at over 20 degrees.

A broader Code Yellow warning covers Crișana, Maramureș, much of Transylvania and Moldova, and northern continental Dobrogea. Here, temperatures will rise to between 33 and 37 degrees, with nighttime lows generally ranging from 18 to 20 degrees. Though less intense than in the southern regions, the heat will still pose health risks, particularly during prolonged exposure.

According to ANM, the heatwave is expected to persist into Tuesday, especially in southern, eastern, and central Romania. The agency is monitoring the situation and may update the warnings as conditions evolve.

The national railway company announced on Sunday, July 6, that, in the context of weather forecasts predicting extremely high temperatures, it will order trains to reduce their speed in areas where rail temperatures reach or exceed 50 degrees Celsius.