Western Europe is experiencing a heat wave that has led to temperature records.

Europe is experiencing a heatwave that has already led to temperature records, wildfires, and fatalities in France and the UK, The Guardian reports, citing national meteorological services.

In France, more than 350 cities recorded their highest temperatures ever recorded for May, with a maximum of 37.1 degrees Celsius (98.1 degrees Fahrenheit) near Hossegor.

The British Met Office reported a new national record of 34.8 degrees Celsius (94.8 degrees Fahrenheit) at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

In Spain, temperatures have already reached 38 degrees Celsius (98.8 degrees Fahrenheit), and by the end of the week, temperatures in the Guadiana and Guadalquivir valleys are expected to reach 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit).

Climatologist Christophe Cassou told the publication that such heat is “unprecedented” for May: based on climate data from 1979 to 2025, its probability is 1 in 1,000, and in pre-industrial times, such a temperature would have been virtually impossible. According to experts, the cause is a heat dome—hot air from Morocco was trapped under a high-pressure zone. In May, an orange alert was issued for French departments for the first time since 2004.

Experts warn that British infrastructure is ill-suited to such temperatures. According to the UK Committee on Climate Change, only about 5% of homes are equipped with air conditioning. In a recent report, the agency noted that the country “was built for a climate that no longer exists.”

The heat wave isn’t limited to the UK. In several Western European countries, temperatures are 10-15°C above normal. In France, the national weather service, Météo France, called the situation “exceptional for this time of year.”

A man died during a race in a Paris suburb, and 10 other runners were hospitalized in critical condition. Meteorologists warn that the heat wave will last for several days, with temperatures reaching 12-13°C above normal.

Spain is expecting “tropical nights” with temperatures above 20 degrees Celsius.

Researcher Robert Votard emphasized that “the extension of the heat wave season is a characteristic sign of climate change,” and that in the future, such events will occur earlier, more frequently, and with greater intensity.

Tags: UK, France