June 25, 2026
Western Europe was in the grip of a heatwave on Wednesday that claimed dozens of lives, disrupted power supplies, shut schools and cultural landmarks, as forecasters warned the extreme temperatures could persist until the end of the week.
Smashing previous records, Britain logged its highest temperature for June, reaching 36.1 degrees Celsius (96.98 degrees Fahrenheit) in southern England as a heat dome hovered over much of Western Europe.
Temperatures in Paris hit a June record of 40.9 C, a day after France recorded its hottest day since records began nearly 80 years ago, when temperatures peaked at 44.3 C in the southwestern town of Pissos.
Italy's health ministry placed 16 cities — including Florence, Milan, Rome, Turin and Verona — on its highest heat alert, and warned the heatwave could intensify further, peaking between Sunday and Monday.
