Europe is facing one of its most intense heat waves in recent years, with temperatures climbing above 40°C in several countries and little immediate relief expected. Meteorologists warn that a persistent high-pressure system, often described as a "heat dome," is trapping hot air across large parts of the continent, fueling dangerous conditions from the Iberian Peninsula to Central Europe and the United Kingdom.
France has been among the hardest-hit countries. More than half of the country's departments have been placed under the highest-level red alert, affecting millions of residents. Monday became one of the hottest days ever recorded nationwide, with average temperatures reaching 29.2°C (84.5°F). Hundreds of local temperature records were either broken or matched, while cities including Bordeaux, Poitiers, Rennes, Angers, Saintes, and Paris registered unprecedented June heat.
The French capital experienced its hottest June night on record, with temperatures failing to drop below 24.2°C. Daytime temperatures also surged, reaching nearly 37.7°C and, in some locations, exceeding 40°C. Weather authorities warned that the current episode is "widespread, long-lasting and intense" and could rival the devastating 2003 heat wave that claimed approximately 15,000 lives in France.
