Heat Wave in Romania
Romania is experiencing exceptionally high temperatures these days.
Leyla Cheamil, 25.06.2026, 14:00
The heat wave that has already claimed lives in Europe has now reached Romania. Meteorologists have issued a code yellow alert for Thursday due to the heat wave and severe thermal discomfort. Across nearly the entire country, with the exception of a few counties in the east and northeast, unusually high temperatures for this time of year have been forecast, with highs ranging from 30 to 35 degrees Celsius, with the highest temperatures in the west and northwest. On Friday and Saturday, in the southeast, the weather will be exceptionally hot across most of the region, with temperatures reaching up to 33 degrees Celsius, and heat discomfort will be high during the midday hours. In recent days, code yellow alerts for exceptionally high temperatures have also been in effect in several areas of the country. The National Meteorological Administration warns that temperatures will gradually rise across the entire country through July 5, when highs will reach 37 degrees Celsius in some regions, while light showers will occur in some areas. It is worth noting that the highest temperature ever recorded in Romania is 44.5 degrees Celsius. It was measured in the shade in August 1951, in Brăila County (southeast).
Researchers expect heat waves to become not only more frequent but also increasingly longer, against the backdrop of global warming. A study published in 2025 in the scientific journal ‘Nature Geoscience’ highlighted that the duration of heat waves is increasing faster than previously anticipated. However, the effects on health of this acceleration are difficult to assess, as they sometimes manifest with a delay, in the short term, high temperatures can cause heatstroke and dehydration, which can sometimes be fatal. They can also exacerbate existing medical conditions, particularly cardiovascular and respiratory ones, in which case death or hospitalization may occur several days later.
The Director-General of the World Health Organization has recently urged countries around the world to make investments in resilient health systems ‘a priority’, so that they can better withstand heat waves that are becoming increasingly frequent and intense. ‘The heat wave hitting Europe is causing schools to close and putting people’s health at risk’, WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus noted in a message posted on the X social media platform. He stated that national leaders must mitigate the factors driving the climate crisis. Tedros Ghebreyesus also said that the data is unequivocal, and temperatures across Europe are rising at a rate roughly twice as fast as the global average, which increases the likelihood and severity of future episodes of extreme heat. His appeal comes amid the heat wave currently affecting Western Europe, which is unprecedented in its intensity for this time of year. (LS)
