Record May Temperatures Reported Across UK, France, Spain

Temperatures hit record highs for May in the United Kingdom and France on Monday, May 25, as forecasters warned of a prolonged period of extreme heat across Europe throughout the week. A high-pressure system over western Europe trapped warm air from northern Africa, producing temperatures not usually seen until high summer.

The Met Office weather agency said it was the hottest May day on record, with temperatures hitting 34.8°C at Kew Gardens, southwest London – a full two degrees above the previous high. "This heat would be exceptional in the UK even in mid-summer, let alone May," the agency said on X.

agency Météo-France said dozens of temperature records were broken in several French cities and placed eight western regions under a heatwave alert. The western town of Bergerac recorded a high of 34.7°C on Monday, with the cities of Nantes and Angers not far behind.

On Tuesday, heat of between 32°C and 35°C was expected across much of the western region of Brittany, with peaks of 36°C or even 37°C expected in the south of the country, Météo-France said. The capital, Paris, on Saturday notched up its first temperature above 30°C of the year, hitting 31.9°C.

On Sunday, a man died during a 10-kilometer running race in Paris, civil defense services said, while 10 more had to be taken to the hospital in critical condition after a race in the capital's suburb of Maisons-Alfort, the authorities said. A 28-year-old woman also died of heatstroke at an indoor athletics meeting in the eastern Rhone region.

Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu will hold a meeting Thursday with key ministers to go over government preparations for the heatwave.

the State Meteorological Agency warned the extraordinarily high temperatures for this time of year will continue across the country all week, except in the Canary Islands. Widespread tropical nights are also forecast in southwestern Spain from Wednesday, with temperatures peaking from Wednesday to Friday at between 36°C and 38°C.

Italy's Lazio region, which includes Rome, on Monday approved rules limiting work in conditions with prolonged exposure in the sun between 12:30 pm and 4:00 pm. The measures apply to farms, construction sites and the logistics sector and run until September 15.