Heat wave prompts ‘code orange’ weather warning in Bulgaria
The unrelenting heat scalding Bulgaria for the past week is set to continue, prompting the meteorology institute of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences to issue a “code orange” weather warning for the entire country on July 9.
Temperature highs are expected to range between 34C and 39C, with 35C forecast for Sofia and Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast. There is little chance of any cloud cover, mostly in the mountains, and the atmospheric pressure will be close to the average for the time of the year.
Code orange is the second degree of weather warning that can be issued in Bulgaria and signifies increased likelihood of damages or injury. Medical advice is to stay out of the sun whenever possible, especially during the afternoon hours, and hydrate heavily to prevent a sun or heat stroke.
Temperatures on July 9 are not expected to be much higher than during the weekend, but it is the sixth day of the current heat wave and that is what prompted the change in the weather warning, the meteorology institute said, as quoted by Focus news agency.
Bulgaria was previously under code yellow weather warning and if the heat wave continues, as it is expected to do, parts of southern and northern Bulgaria could see a code red warning by the weekend, when some areas might see temperatures above 40C.
The weather will remain unchanged in the coming days, with brief thunderstorms on Friday, July 13, but no significant dip in temperature highs, the institute said.
(Photo: iammi-z/sxc.hu)
