Western Europe swelters as France may set all-time heat record

Temperatures across much of Western Europe are hovering near 40°C, with France and Spain hit hardest, Yle reports. Forecasters warn that France could break its all-time heat record as early as Monday, with daytime highs of 42°C and little overnight relief.

Meteorologist Matti Huutonen of Yle advised travellers averse to extreme heat to avoid the region. Eastern Germany and Poland are also under heat warnings, with thunderstorms expected in parts of Germany. The oppressive conditions are set to persist through next week, with temperatures remaining near 40°C before easing slightly by the following Sunday.

Hannele Laine, director of the European greenhouse gas monitoring system ICOS, noted that June temperatures in many areas are 10°C above long-term averages. She linked the extreme heat to climate change, warning that even healthy individuals may struggle in such conditions. Last year’s heatwaves in Europe claimed an estimated 25,000 lives, with children and the elderly most vulnerable.

France’s national weather service said the country may set a new national record for average daily temperature, an anomaly for June rather than the typically warmer August. The heatwave has also prompted restrictions, including a ban on alcohol sales during a music festival in France.

Laine struck a cautiously optimistic note on global climate efforts, citing progress in China where emissions have peaked and are now declining. However, she warned that economic pressures and rising defence spending in Europe and the US risk diverting resources from climate action.