French climate scientist Christophe Cassou said the heat wave would have been virtually impossible in the preindustrial era.

A “heat dome” is forecast to linger across parts of Europe as the prospects of an El Nino continue to firm.

“What we used to call a July phenomenon is now arriving in mid-May", according to one weather forecaster.

Western Europe reeled under an unseasonal heatwave on Tuesday as record-breaking temperatures swept across the continent.

Record temps as spring heatwave bakes Europe

Europe sizzles as record-breaking May heatwave scorches continent-