France is on the frontline of an exceptional early summer heatwave, with authorities reporting seven deaths – including five drownings – as a “heat dome” is pushing temperatures far above seasonal norms across much of Europe.
The deaths were announced on Tuesday and come as beaches in southwest France filled earlier than usual, tennis fans sweltered at Roland-Garros in Paris and the government moved to step up preparations for a spell of heat that forecasters said could last at least until the end of the week.
Weather agency Meteo-France said Monday was the hottest May day ever recorded in France since measurements began, with highs of 33C to 36C expected in some regions as the week continued.
French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu is due to convene key ministers on Thursday to review the government’s heatwave response, underlining concern over the public health risks linked to unusually intense temperatures so early in the year.
Paris had already crossed a symbolic threshold at the weekend, recording its first temperature above 30C of 2026 on Saturday, when the mercury hit 31.9C.
On Sunday, a man died during a 10-kilometre race in Paris, civil defence services said.
Ten other runners were taken to hospital in critical condition after a race in Maisons-Alfort, a suburb southeast of the capital, according to local authorities.
The heat also made itself felt at the French Open, where spectators at Roland-Garros endured baking conditions on Monday as players and fans adjusted to temperatures more usually associated with high summer than late spring.
Heat dome grips western Europe
The exceptional warmth has been driven by a so-called "heat dome" – a mass of hot air from northern Africa trapped beneath a high-pressure system over western Europe.
Forecasters say the phenomenon has sent temperatures climbing well beyond normal levels for May, with much of the region pushed above 30C. Scientists say human-driven climate change is intensifying these extremes, making heatwaves more frequent, longer and more severe.
Europe is warming faster than the global average, leaving governments under growing pressure to adapt schools, hospitals, transport networks and housing to conditions that were once considered unusual but are becoming increasingly common.
In the United Kingdom, the Met Office said Monday was the hottest May day on record, with temperatures reaching 34.8C at Kew Gardens in southwest London – two degrees above the previous record.
“This heat would be exceptional in the UK even in mid-summer, let alone May,” the agency said on X.
Londoners and tourists sought shade as temperatures climbed far above the city’s typical May average of around 17C or 18C.
Met Office meteorologists have said the increase in extreme temperatures was “a good indication of climate change in action” and that such conditions were more likely to become “the new norm”.
UK climate advisers warned last week that the country was “built for a climate that no longer exists” and urged the government to adapt infrastructure, including schools and hospitals, for a warmer world.
Work limits and rising risks
The heat is also disrupting daily life and work across southern Europe, where several countries are braced for temperatures more typical of July or August.
In Spain, the State Meteorological Agency, Aemet, warned that “extraordinarily high temperatures for this time of year” would continue across the country all week, except in the Canary Islands.
The agency forecast “widespread tropical nights” in southwestern Spain from Wednesday, with temperatures expected to peak between Wednesday and Friday at 36C to 38C in parts of the country.
Farther east, Italy’s Lazio region – which includes Rome – approved rules limiting outdoor work in conditions involving “prolonged exposure in the sun” between 12:30 pm and 4:00 pm.
The measures apply to sectors including agriculture, construction and logistics, and will remain in force until 15 September. Similar restrictions were introduced last year, but only from 30 May, making this year’s earlier start another sign of how quickly authorities are reacting to rising heat risks.
Farmers in parts of Europe have also reported accelerated harvests, while beaches and public spaces have filled earlier than usual as residents seek relief.
Although forecasters in the UK expect temperatures to ease later in the week, much of continental Europe is likely to remain under pressure for several days.
(With newswires)
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