More than 20 towns in France record highest ever May temperatures

Europe Swelters in Record May Heat as Climate Scientists Warn of Intensifying Extremes

More than 20 towns in France have recorded their highest-ever May temperatures, and the UK has seen its hottest May day on record, as an intense early-summer heatwave sweeps western Europe. Meteorologists attribute the exceptional conditions to a heat dome drawing hot air from North Africa, with climate researchers warning that such events are becoming more frequent and intense due to climate breakdown.

According to Météo-France, the national weather agency, temperatures across the region are expected to climb more than 10°C above the seasonal norm, with new monthly records likely to be set in hundreds of locations. The agency said the heat episode is expected to last several days, with temperatures exceeding previous May records by three or four degrees in some cities, including Nantes and Brest.

In the UK, the Met Office confirmed that the country’s all-time temperature record for May was broken on Monday when a temperature of 33.5°C was recorded at Heathrow near London, surpassing the previous high of 32.8°C set in 1944. Forecasters said highs of up to 35°C were possible in some parts of the country, and "extraordinary" heat health alerts have been issued for the weekend.

France has placed 18 départements under high-temperature alert, the first time the country’s national heat warning system has been activated during May since it was introduced in 2004. Météo-France said temperatures could reach 36°C locally, with Paris hitting 32.6°C on Sunday and expected to reach 33°C on Monday, while Bordeaux also sweltered.

The heatwave is also affecting Spain and Portugal, where temperatures are expected to exceed 30°C in many areas, with the mercury potentially reaching up to 38°C in the Guadiana and Guadalquivir regions of Spain.

Météo-France attributed the exceptional conditions to a heat dome, in which hot air from Morocco is trapped under the high pressure of a powerful anticyclone. The agency described the temperatures expected in Brittany in particular as "quite remarkable so early in the pre-summer season."

Climate researchers say the event is consistent with the broader trend of climate breakdown. According to scientists, Europe is the world’s fastest-warming continent, and models estimate that June heatwaves are now about 10 times more likely than they were in the preindustrial era, with a similar trajectory emerging for May.

"This extension of the heatwave season is entirely characteristic of the effects of climate change," said Robert Vautard, a climate researcher, in comments reported by Agence France-Presse. "Eventually, we will be seeing similar heat events in April and October."

Météo-France cautioned that Europe could expect such exceptional heat events "more and more often and more and more prematurely, and to be more and more intense."

The current heatwave has prompted authorities across the region to urge caution, particularly for vulnerable populations, as temperatures remain unusually high for the time of year. While the immediate cause is the heat dome, scientists emphasize that the underlying warming trend is amplifying the intensity and frequency of these extreme events.