France Records Highest Average Temperature Ever as Heatwave Affects Much of Europe

Météo-France reported that the average temperature across thirty key weather stations reached 29.8 °C on Tuesday, the highest average ever recorded in France for any month or season. The national grid operator RTE said electricity consumption rises by one megawatt for every 1 °C increase in temperature, and more than 68,000 homes lost power during the surge in demand.

Britain’s weather service recorded 35.7 °C in a county just outside London, the hottest June temperature in British history.

National Rail warned passengers to avoid travel unless absolutely necessary because high temperatures threatened to warp metal tracks. At least 40 people drowned in France in the days before the report, many of them teenagers. Heat warnings covered Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Britain, Croatia, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, Poland, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Switzerland.

Italy issued severe red warnings for Florence and Milan, while Spain recorded highs of 41 °C. Julie Green, 39, described conditions in a typical London flat while sheltering with her infant son Roman in a North London park on Monday. The heatwave is Europe’s second severe and unusually early episode in two months.

Germany expected weekend temperatures near historic records. Barcelona and Paris have established municipal climate shelters to provide relief during extreme heat.