France breaks its national record twice
Western Europe is confronting an exceptional heatwave that has disrupted electricity supplies, rail services and schools while placing millions of residents under health warnings.
France registered its hottest day since national measurements began in 1947. The country’s temperature indicator, calculated from daytime and nighttime readings across 30 weather stations, reached a provisional 30 degrees Celsius, or 86 degrees Fahrenheit, on Wednesday.
That figure surpassed the record of 29.8C, or 85.64F, established only one day earlier. Temperatures could climb to between 40C and 42C, equivalent to 104F and 107.6F, during the weekend.
Power outage affects thousands of homes
The extreme conditions caused a major disruption to France’s electricity network. A heat-related transformer incident initially left as many as 106,000 customers without power late Tuesday.
Approximately 68,000 households in the northwestern department of Finistere remained disconnected on Wednesday. Repair teams worked through the night, but a complete restoration was not expected before the end of the day at the earliest.
The outage highlighted the vulnerability of infrastructure built before human-driven climate change made heatwaves more frequent, intense and prolonged.
Most of France exposed to dangerous temperatures
More than 90% of the French population is experiencing extreme heat. Thirty-one departments remain under orange warnings, with temperatures between 39C and 41C expected from Brittany and Paris to large parts of southwestern France.
Demand for electric fans and air-conditioning equipment has surged. Most French buildings were not designed to remain comfortable during sustained periods of extreme heat.
At least 48 people have drowned while attempting to cool down. Two young children also died from heat exposure inside a car.
WHO calls for climate-ready health systems
The World Health Organization warned that the conditions were putting people’s “health at risk” and urged governments to strengthen their response to rising temperatures.
“We cannot afford further delay. Leaders must prioritise investment in climate-resilient health systems, while also accelerating climate action and mitigating the drivers of the climate crisis,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.
Experts attribute the episode to atmospheric circulation patterns that trap hot air over the same region for several days. Global warming intensifies these conditions and allows temperatures to rise progressively.
Britain records its hottest June day
The United Kingdom provisionally registered its highest June temperature on record when the thermometer reached 35.7C, or 96.2F, on Wednesday. The reading exceeded the previous record established during the summer of 1976.
A red heat-health warning was activated for Wednesday and Thursday across much of central and southern England and Wales. This is only the second alert of its kind issued in the UK, following the July 2022 episode when temperatures exceeded 40C.
London and southern England could reach 39C during the peak of the heatwave.
“Red warnings are reserved for the most severe events, and we’re expecting severe and significant impacts from this heatwave, with health impacts likely for many, even beyond those who are normally more vulnerable to the heat,” said Mark Sidaway, deputy chief forecaster at the Met Office.
Schools close and rail services are cancelled
Several English schools suspended classes, while numerous trains were cancelled. Passengers were advised to avoid unnecessary journeys through areas covered by the red warning.
Eurostar cancelled four services between London and Paris scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday “due to expected adverse weather”. British conditions are forecast to begin easing on Friday.
Italy and Spain remain under pressure
Italy’s Health Ministry placed 16 cities under its highest heat warning on Wednesday, including Milan and Rome.
Spain recorded its highest average June temperatures since at least 1950. The national daily average reached 28.08C on Monday and 28.17C on Tuesday, both exceeding the previous record of 28.01C set on June 30, 2025.
Two elderly people died from heatstroke after temperatures surpassed 40C in parts of the country. Some relief was expected from Wednesday, with red warnings remaining only in sections of the northern Basque Country by the afternoon. No Spanish region was expected to remain under red or orange alerts on Thursday.
Heatwave moves north and east
Central and southern areas of the Netherlands will remain under a code orange warning from Wednesday through at least Friday. Belgium is placing the entire country under an orange heat alert from Thursday.
The extreme temperatures are also moving toward Eastern Europe. Poland issued high-level warnings for western regions from Thursday to Saturday, with forecasts suggesting the national record of 40.2C, established in 1921, could be challenged.
Croatia placed its Adriatic coast under red alerts for Friday and Saturday. Hungary, already operating under a second-level warning, will raise its alert to the maximum level from Saturday through Tuesday as temperatures continue rising.
