Thermodynamic temperature

As temperatures and humidity soar outside, what's happening inside the human body can become a life-or-death battle decided by just a few degrees.

The critical danger point outdoors for illness and death from relentless heat is several degrees lower than experts once thought, say researchers who put people in hot boxes to see what happens to them.

Scientists have identified the maximum mix of heat and humidity a human body can survive.

Even a healthy young person will die after enduring six hours of 35-degree Celsius (95 Fahrenheit) warmth when coupled with 100 percent humidity, but new research shows that threshold could be significantly lower.

A gradual rise in temperature in Greece is expected until Saturday, according to Meteo.gr of the National Observatory of Athens.

According to the available forecast, this rise is expected to peak from Friday and reach 36 to 37 degrees Celsius in some areas.

Winter will be present in Bulgaria for the next two weeks, with intermittent snow and low temperatures.

Clouds will break today, but cloudiness will increase again this evening from the west. The maximum temperatures will be between 0°C and 5°C, in Sofia - about 2 degrees Celsius, according to the NIMH forecast.

The absolute records for high temperatures for January were improved yesterday in five stations of the National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology in the country, reports the NIMH.

In Pleven yesterday the temperature reached 21.7 degrees Celsius, and the old temperature record was 21.2 degrees and was from January 2002.

The grass is unusually green this winter and snowdrops and primroses were in bloom as early as December. Bees have been enticed out of hives and storks failed to make their journey south. The unseasonably warm weather is causing confusion everywhere.

As Turkish State Meteorological Service announces that last December was the warmest one experienced in the past 52 years, Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum calls on citizens to "do their bit."

"There is no danger of stopping the hot water in Sofia in the summer due to the suspended gas supplies by Gazprom. No regime will be introduced. However, it is possible to reduce the water temperature." This was stated to bTV by the member of the Supervisory Board of "Toplofikacia" (District Heating) Sofia Valentin Terziiski.

The National Weather Administration (ANM)has issued a Code Orange warning of heat and high thermal discomfort in force on Monday in the counties of Arad, Timis, Caras-Severin, Mehedinti and Dolj, where highs are expected to get to 41 degrees Celsius. Also, all throughout today, a Code Yellow of similar phenomena will be in force in almost all of Romania.

Last month was the warmest May in the last 51 years in Turkey, according to the country's meteorology department.

The average May temperature in Turkey rose 2.6 degrees Celsius (4.7 degrees Fahrenheit), according to the Turkish State Meteorological Service data, compiled by Anadolu Agency.