South Europe cities 'face 50 days above 35 degrees'

The European Environment Agency (EEA) on Tuesday unveiled an interactive map indicating the heatwave risk for European cities six decades from now on the basis of likely global warming trends. Southern Spain, parts of southern France, Italy, Greece, Serbia and western Turkey are most exposed. These regions are likely to notch up more than 50 days in the year when day temperatures will be greater than 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) and nighttime temperatures will not dip below 20 C (68 F). The northern rim of continental Europe, the British Isles, Scandinavia and the southern Baltic will have the least heatwave risk, according to the model, which looks at 2071-2100. The map (http://www.eea.europa.eu/highlights/how-vulnerable-is-your-city) looks at 500 cities, factoring in the risk of "urban heat island" -- heat that is stored in roads and concrete structures -- and green areas that provide relief during heatwaves.