The National Weather Administration (NMA) on Thursday issued a code orange warning for heat wave and raising thermal discomfort valid on Friday and Saturday in over half of Romania, Bucharest City included, as well as a code yellow for particularly hot weather for the rest of the country.

According to meteorologists, between July 4, 10:00hrs and July 5, 10:00 hrs there will be code orange heat in areas of Banat, Crisana, Maramures, Oltenia, most of Transylvania and the western half of Muntenia.

In these areas, the heat wave will intensify, and the temperature-humidity index (THI) will exceed the critical threshold of 80. Highs between 37 and 40 degrees Celsius, and in Oltenia, southern Banat and parts of Muntenia the lows will not drop below 20 degrees Celsius, typical of a tropical night.

Also, from Friday morning to Saturday, at 10:00hrs, code yellow for warm weather will be in force in Moldova, Dobrogea, in the eastern half of Muntenia and in eastern Transylvania, with highs of between 33 and 38 degrees Celsius. At the same time, the THI will reach or slightly exceed the critical threshold of 80, while the lows will generally be between 16 and 21 degrees Celsius.

The heat wave would narrow on Saturday towards the southern half of the country, and on Sunday it will intensify again in all regions.

AGERPRES