Days of hot weather grip Southern Europe, North Africa

By FRANCES D’EMILIO
Associated Press

ROME (AP) — Stifling heat is gripping much of Southern Europe, and forecasters say worse is expected to come. Throughout the Mediterranean region, days of hot weather already have driven people indoors at midday, spoiled crops and complicated the challenge of firefighters battling wildfires. Barcelona officials opened museums, and libraries as “climate shelters.” In Italy, 15 cities received warnings from the health ministry about climbing temperatures and humidity levels that are expected to peak on Friday. In Tunisia, temperatures hit 50 degrees Celsius (122 F), a record high for the North African country. Southern Europe is known for sunny summers, climate scientists say there’s little doubt climate change is driving weather events such as heat waves.