By Thomas Seythal, Francesca Landini and Stine Jacobsen
BERLIN/MILAN/COPENHAGEN, June 27 (Reuters) - From Scandinavia to the Alps, Europeans endured sweltering conditions on Saturday as a heatwave linked to dozens of deaths spread eastwards, with record-breaking temperatures breaching 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in some spots.
Denmark logged its highest-ever temperature after Britain, France, Switzerland and Germany had all experienced record heat in June and the weather system began rolling towards Poland.
Scientists said the heatwave would have been virtually impossible without man-made climate change, which has made this week's night-time temperatures 100 times more likely than they would have been even two decades ago.
"The heatwave is going to peak at the weekend at well over 40 C in some parts of Germany," said Karsten Brandt, a meteorologist at weather forecasting site Donnerwetter.de.
On Friday, a new German record of 41.3 C was hit near the city of Saarbruecken on the French border, Germany's National Meteorological Service said, citing preliminary data.
The Danish Meteorological Institute meanwhile reported a 37 C reading north of the city of Aarhus on Saturday, the highest on record since measurements began in 1874.
PEOPLE URGED TO SAVE WATER
The service issued extreme heat warnings for nearly all of Germany on Saturday as authorities urged people to save water.
It said temperatures of 36 C were expected across the board in the country, with local highs of 42 C possible. Temperatures rose well over 30 C across nearly all of Poland.
In France, dozens of people, both young and old, have died during the heatwave. Temperatures above 40 C have disrupted rail travel and power generation, sparked alcohol bans, suspended schools and postponed outdoor events.
Italy's health ministry issued a red alert for the heatwave in 18 cities including Milan, Rome, Turin, Venice, Genoa, Florence and Bologna for Saturday and Sunday, with temperatures expected to climb as high as 39 C.
Friday was the warmest June night on record in Bolzano in the Italian Alps, with overnight temperatures not dipping below 25.4 C, the city's meteorologist Dieter Peterlin said on X.
The French prime minister's office said although the heatwave is moving on, pressure on the healthcare system would persist and hospitalisations would stay high for several days.
Reports of wildfires in France are up compared to the same period last year due to the heatwave, officials say.
FREE CANCELLATIONS TO REDUCE RAIL TRAVEL
Struggling with the prospect of damage to infrastructure, including buckling roads and swelling train tracks, some major rail providers have sought to reduce traffic.
German national rail operator Deutsche Bahn allowed customers to cancel long-distance travel into early next week without charge, to ease pressure on its network.
Another operator, National Express, said it would suspend some trains on Saturday afternoon in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany's most populous state, as a precaution.
Near Hamburg, the main traffic lane on one of Germany's busiest motorways was partially closed after the heat led to the asphalt splitting, authorities said.
In Switzerland, the Lausanne Pride march was due to go ahead on Saturday, with extra water fountains and first responders, while Milan's Pride march was pushed back until 5 p.m. (1500 GMT) to avoid the worst of the heat.
The Ironman European Championship long-distance triathlon taking place on Sunday in Frankfurt shortened the cycling and running courses due to the heat.
RECORD TEMPERATURES DRIVEN BY 'OMEGA BLOCK' PHENOMENON
The most extreme heat is forecast to begin fading at the weekend, with heavy thunderstorms expected on Sunday.
Across Europe, cultural landmarks have had to close, farming has suffered, and some hospitals have struggled to cope.
The heatwave has pushed temperatures well above their seasonal average, according to the Reuters Climate Monitor, driven by a phenomenon known as an Omega block.
This weather pattern traps a bulging ball of hot air over regions for extended periods, with cooler air on its fringes.
Demand for electric fans has shot up, and Asian air conditioning makers have reported a European sales boom.
(Reporting by Thomas Seythal, Francesca Landini, Stine Jacobsen Karol Badohal, Emma Farge, Elizabeth Pineau, Makini Brice and Reuters Bureaux;Writing by Dave Graham; Editing by Cynthia Osterman, Jan Harvey, Andrew Heavens)
