France Records Hottest Day on Record as Heat Wave Closes Landmarks

France recorded its hottest day on record Tuesday as an early heat wave affected multiple European countries. The national thermal indicator reached 29.8 C, surpassing the previous mark of 29.4 C set in 2003 and 2019. The Eiffel Tower closed earlier than usual in the afternoon. The Louvre museum announced it would close two hours ahead of schedule from Wednesday through Saturday.

Louvre officials stated that parts of the building remain vulnerable to heat buildup, which intensifies later in the day and with high visitor numbers. They noted the museum is not sufficiently adapted to climate change. In Paris, a roofer said extreme heat made welding on zinc roofs impossible and compared conditions to Dubai.

French authorities reported 40 drowning deaths in the past week as people sought relief in rivers.

The United Kingdom's Met Office issued heat warnings for Wednesday and Thursday, with forecasts reaching 39 C in parts of southern England. Several train operators reduced or canceled services, and hundreds of schools planned early closures. Spain's weather service issued red alerts for temperatures up to 44 C in southern regions and warnings for 40 C in northern areas.

The heat wave is forecast to ease by Friday in the United Kingdom. Meteo France said further record temperatures are possible through the weekend and that more than half the country could reach red-alert status Wednesday.