Europe Scorches Under ‘Heat Dome’ as France and UK Shatter May Records

Record-Breaking Temperatures and Health Toll

The extreme heat has directly or indirectly caused at least seven deaths in France, officials said. Adrien Warnan, a forecaster at Météo-France, said the conditions are "totally unprecedented" for May, with localized readings possibly reaching 38°C or even 39°C in the Languedoc region.

Children and the elderly face "hypervigilance," with sports activities cancelled and agricultural work disrupted. "We are going to be careful, avoid sports activities, make the children drink every quarter of an hour," said Charlotte Longaive, director of leisure centers in Saint-Quentin-de-Baron and Nérigean, in the Gironde. She plans "calm activities in places identified as cool," maintaining extra vigilance especially with the very young.

Tennis instructor Simon Amillet, 22, suffered a severe headache and fatigue after coaching outdoors in Bordeaux on Monday. "I was outside from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., in full blazing sun," he said. He cancelled some lessons and plans to adapt children's sessions Wednesday with "less play" and "a lot of watering."

Coping in the Cagnard: Tennis and Vineyards

In the vineyards near Bordeaux, grape growers are starting work very early in the morning to avoid the scorching afternoon sun. Bernard Farges, president of the Bordeaux Wine Council, said the heat is "not insurmountable" but heralds "even earlier harvests" this year.

Across the Channel, the United Kingdom also baked under record heat. The Met Office said a new May high of 33.5°C was recorded at Heathrow near London, surpassing the previous record of 32.8°C set in 1922 and tied in 1944. "Records are normally broken by tenths of a degree — what makes this heatwave unprecedented for the time of year," the agency stated online.

The unusual warmth comes after the UK experienced its hottest year on record in 2025. Forecasters had earlier predicted 35°C as the heatwave spread over parts of southeast England and the capital.

Heatwave Spreads Across the Continent

Germany, too, is feeling the burn, with temperatures up to 35°C forecast by the German Weather Service. Authorities there urged residents to use drinking water "very sparingly." In Spain, temperatures of 36 to 38°C are expected from Wednesday to Friday.

Scientists attribute the intensifying heat to climate change, driven by greenhouse gas emissions from burning coal, oil and gas. They warn that such heatwaves will become more frequent, more intense and arrive earlier in the year. France projects a warming of 2.7°C by 2050 and 4°C by 2100 compared to pre-industrial averages.

French Ecological Transition Minister Monique Barbut cautioned that this "is certainly the first of a series" of heatwaves expected this summer. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu will chair an interministerial meeting Thursday to review government services' preparedness.