More than 20 towns in France have recorded their highest-ever May temperatures, and the UK set a national heat record amid an extreme early-summer heat event that could see temperatures climb to 40C in parts of Spain by the end of the week.
UK Temperature Record Broken
The UK’s Met Office confirmed that the country’s all-time temperature record for May was broken on Monday when a temperature of 33.5C was recorded at Heathrow near London. Highs of up to 35C are expected later on Monday and on Tuesday.
France Faces Prolonged Heat Episode
Météo France reported that hundreds of further May records are likely to be set in France, Spain, and the UK. The agency described a “premature, remarkable and long” heat episode expected to last several more days, with temperatures exceeding norms by 12 or 13 degrees Celsius.
The national weather agency attributed the record temperatures to a heat dome, with hot air from Morocco trapped under an area of high pressure. It warned that Europe could expect such events “more and more often, more and more intense, and earlier and earlier.”
Climate Change Link
Models have estimated that, with the effects of climate breakdown, June heatwaves are now about 10 times more likely in Europe than in the preindustrial era, and the same trajectory is becoming visible for May. “This extension of the heatwave season is entirely characteristic of the effects of climate change,” said Robert Vautard, a climate researcher. “Eventually, we will be seeing similar heat events in April and October.”
Heat Alerts and Record Temperatures
Authorities placed 18 French départements on high-temperature alert for Monday, marking the first time the national heat warning system has been activated during May since its introduction in 2004. Météo France said temperatures could climb locally to 36C. “Towns in the west of the country are likely to see temperatures several degrees higher than ever recorded in May,” it stated.
Among France’s larger cities, Paris hit 32.6C on Sunday and is expected to reach 33C on Monday, while Bordeaux sweltered at 34.2C. The south-western town of Brive-la-Gaillarde registered 35.3C, nearly two degrees hotter than its previous May record.
Heat-Related Incidents
Civil defence services reported that a man died during a 10km running race in the Paris suburb of Maisons-Alfort on Sunday, reportedly after suffering a heart attack. Ten more runners had to be taken to hospital in critical condition after the race.
Previous May highs were exceeded locally on Sunday all along France’s Atlantic coast at weather stations including St-Nazaire (31.8C), Noirmoutier (31.3C), and Brest in Brittany (29C).
Spain Braces for Intense Heat
In Spain, temperatures in some southern areas hit 38C over the weekend, between 5C and 10C higher than normal. The hot spell is expected to continue through the week, said Rubén del Campo of the state meteorological office Aemet. “The other really notable thing is that the situation is going to last until at least the end of the week. In fact, it could get even hotter on Thursday and Friday, with temperatures of at least 34C across most of the country,” del Campo said.
Widespread highs of 36-38C in the Guadiana, Guadalquivir, and Ebro valleys are expected between Wednesday and Friday, with some areas possibly reaching 40C. Del Campo also noted that much of the country could experience “tropical nights,” where night-time temperatures do not drop below 20C.
Heatwave Conditions in the UK
Parts of the UK could enter a heatwave, with temperatures exceeding 26C to 28C for three consecutive days, depending on the location. In France, night-time temperatures must also stay above a certain level for an official heatwave to be declared.
