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2026 European heatwaves

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2026 European heatwaves
TypeHeatwave
Areas
Start date22 May 2026 (2026-05-22)
Peak temp. 44.3 °C (111.7 °F), recorded at Pissos, France (as of 24 June 2026) on Tuesday, 23 June 2026
Losses
Deaths282+
  • France: 58[a]
  • United Kingdom: 15
  • Spain: 209

From late May 2026 onwards Europe was struck by severe heatwaves, with records being broken in Belgium, Spain, Italy, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, and Ireland[1] (as well as North Africa). The first started on 24 May, with temperatures 10–15 °C (18–27 °F) higher than normal, causing several deaths. Temperatures were the highest ever recorded for May and spring,[2][3] with climate change being blamed for, practically speaking, the earlier onset of Central European summer.[4] Western Europe is the most affected area, with reports of record-breaking temperatures in France,[5][6] the United Kingdom and Ireland. Other countries experiencing irregularly high temperatures were Portugal at 40 °C (104 °F), and Spain expected to reach 38 °C (100 °F).[7] The timing of this first heatwave closely matched that of the 2025 European heatwaves, albeit beginning nearly a week earlier.

A second, more severe heatwave started on 17 June 2026, still in astronomical[b] spring.[8]

By country

[edit]

Austria

[edit]

In May, 46 GeoSphere Austria stations set new temperature records. Of those, Lienz had the highest temperature, recording 33.3 °C (91.9 °F) on 26 May. The city also had a record eight hot days in May, which are days with a temperature of at least 30 °C (86 °F), beating the record of three set in 2001. Bregenz and Eisenstadt had set the new record highest number of hot days in May as well. Additionally, May had significantly below average rainfall, with some regions being between half to two-thirds below the 1991-2020 average. May was also the fifth sunniest on record.[9]

On 18 June, GeoSphere Austria announced that a heatwave was about to affect the country, with temperature highs between 30 °C (86 °F) and 36 °C (97 °F) expected to continue until the end of the month.[10] On 20 June, temperatures reached 35 °C (95 °F) at five GeoSphere Austria stations and a temperature of 36.0 °C (96.8 °F) was recorded in Bad Deutsch-Altenburg, marking the first time the value had been reached in Austria in 2026.[11] On 21 June, GeoSphere Austria recorded a temperature of at least 35.0 °C (95.0 °F) at a total of 18 stations in its network, which included a temperature of 36.6 °C (97.9 °F) in Bad Deutsch-Altenburg and a temperature of 36.1 °C (97.0 °F) at a further two stations.[12]

Belgium

[edit]

Between 23–25 May, Uccle recorded temperatures of over 28 °C (82 °F). Locally in Brussels, temperatures peaked 31 °C (88 °F) on 25 May.[13] On 26 May, Uccle broke the daily temperature record set on 1985 and peaked at 30.3 °C (86.5 °F).[14]

Bulgaria

[edit]

It was reported that the Danubian Plain was edging towards 38 °C (100 °F) during late June 2026.[15]

France

[edit]

In May there were reports of record-breaking temperatures.[16] The national average was 24.9 °C (76.8 °F) on 26 May, the hottest May on record. The heat dome continued to bring hot temperatures with Angoulême-La Couronne recording a temperature of 37.8 °C (100.0 °F) on 28 May.[17] Seven heat-related deaths occurred in May.[18][17]

Beginning on 22 June overnight temperatures were the hottest since record began in 1947, with 54 departments being placed under a heatwave red alert. The national heat index, an average of the measurements from 30 weather stations of the day and night-time highs, provisionally reached 29.8 °C (85.6 °F). The single highest temperature was 44.3 °C (111.7 °F) in Pissos (Landes), with parts of Western France above 40 °C (104 °F). E.g., Bordeaux reached 41.1 °C (106.0 °F) Nearly half of metropolitan France was affected. [19]

Drowning deaths in France markedly increased;[20] at least 40 people have died, most of whom were young people swimming in unsupervised areas.[21] French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu declared that “There is a tragic scourge of drownings”.[22] (In Paris dozens of people were swimming in the canal Saint-Martin, seeking relief from the heat.)[21] At least 18 people died from related causes, including two children left in a hot car.[23] The heat has forced 845 junior and middle schools to close, and a further 1,800 have adjusted their teaching schedules.[24] Around 68,000 households in France experienced power outages.[25]

By 24 June two-thirds of France were under red alert.[26][27]

Germany

[edit]

Temperatures rose above 30 °C (86 °F) for the first time in 2026 on 23 May.[28] Increased cooling demands from the heatwave combined with the usage of more expensive power sources due to lower wind power generation caused day-ahead power prices to jump by 29% on 27 May.[29]

Many weather stations recorded new records for the number of hot days (>30 °C) this May, especially in the southern half of the country. In the Upper Rhine region, 6 to 7 hot days were recorded locally. Wutöschingen-Ofteringen, Baden-Württemberg recorded 9 hot days this May, more than double the previous record (4 hot days) set in May 2005.[30] The highest temperature recorded in Germany in May 2026 was 34°C recorded in Regensburg, Bavaria on 26 May.[31]

Germany experienced a heatwave in the second half of June. On 20 and 21 June, it was reported that temperatures were expected to reach between 32 °C (90 °F) and 39 °C (102 °F) in central and southern Germany.[32][33]

Ireland

[edit]

Ireland saw its highest May temperature on record, with both Clonmel and Killarney recording 28.8 °C (83.8 °F), beating the previous May record of 28.4 °C (83.1 °F) in Kerry in 1997, with even higher temperatures expected.[34] On 26 May, Shannon Airport in County Clare recorded a temperature of 30.6 °C (87.1 °F).[35] The Irish weather office Met Éireann reported that the temperature in south Ireland is five standard deviations over the May average.[36]

Italy

[edit]

Red alert warnings were issued for Rome, Florence, Bologna, Brescia, and Turin on 28 May. Temperatures reached 38 °C (100 °F) in various cities. The thermal stress to the cables in the local grid led to repeated blackouts in Turin.[37]

On 24 June red alerts were issued for sixteen cities, including Rome, Milan, Florence, and Turin.[27]

Luxembourg

[edit]

May high-temperature records were set in several stations run by the Rural Economy and Agriculture Authority on 26 May, though none beat the all-time May record.[38]

Netherlands

[edit]

The Netherlands recorded its hottest 26 May, with a station in De Bilt recording 30.4 °C (86.7 °F), beating the previous record of 29.1 °C (84.4 °F) in 2005. On that day as well, the first regional heatwave of the year was recorded. The temperature in Ell reached 30.7 °C (87.3 °F).[39] On 22 June, the KNMI issued an orange warning for large parts of the country for extremely high temperatures up to 36 °C (97 °F).[40]

Portugal

[edit]

Portugal faced the threat of 42 °C (108 °F) high temperatures with yellow weather warnings issued initially only in the districts of Leiria, Lisboa, Santarém, Setúbal, Portalegre, Évora, and Beja, before being expanded to all districts in Portugal except for Faro district for significant public health and "very high" wildfire risks.[41][42][43] Continental Portugal experienced nearly nation-wide tropical nights, meaning that the daily low temperature was above 20 degrees Celsius from the Alentejo to the Algarve.[44][45][46] Mora recorded a temperature of 40.3 °C (104.5 °F) on 27 May, setting the hottest May record on nationally. In addition, 22 stations recorded the highest maximum-temperature on record, with one on 26 May and the rest on 27 May.[47]

Slovenia

[edit]

Between 25 and 27 May, the Slovenian Environment Agency (ARSO) recorded temperatures above 30 °C (86 °F) at several stations in its network, reaching as high as 33.5 °C (92.3 °F) at Cerklje ob Krki Airport on 27 May.[48]

On 18 June, ARSO announced that it expected temperature highs between 30 °C (86 °F) and 35 °C (95 °F) to continue until the end of the month, thus marking the beginning of the first heatwave to affect Slovenia in 2026, in accordance with the agency's definition of a heatwave as a period of time when average temperatures of at least 24 °C (75 °F) in central and eastern Slovenia or 25 °C (77 °F) in western Slovenia, respectively, are recorded on three consecutive days.[49] On 21 June, temperatures were expected to reach 36 °C (97 °F) in western Slovenia and 33 °C (91 °F) elsewhere in the country, respectively.[50]

Spain

[edit]

Temperatures in Spain began to rise starting on 19 May. By 28 May, the Santander Airport recorded six days with temperatures higher than 30 °C (86 °F). Before then, only two days prior to June recorded temperatures of over 30 °C (86 °F). In addition, the Badajoz Airport had temperatures over 38 °C (100 °F) for the first time in May. Temperatures across the southwestern quadrant of Spain recorded highs of 37–39 °C (99–102 °F).[51] Vinebre recorded a temperature of 39.5 °C (103.1 °F), setting the hottest May temperature ever recorded in Catalonia.[52] The Health Ministry recorded 101 heat-related deaths in May, the highest ever recorded for the month of May since records began in 2015.[53] On 22 June, temperatures peaked at 45.1 °C (113.2 °F) in Andújar, southern Spain.[54] Since the beginning of the Heatwave on 21 June 108 fatalities have been recorded.[55] A 90 year old man died in a nursing home in Bizkaia and a 68 years old man died in Almeria from heatstroke.[56]

Switzerland

[edit]

The unusually early heatwave set new daily highs in many stations in the latter part of May.[57] The 0 °C (32 °F) isotherm rose to 4,328 m (14,199 ft) on 25 May, the third highest recorded in May.[58] Biasca recorded 34.8 °C (94.6 °F) on 28 May, just 0.3 °C (0.54 °F) below the May national record and the highest May temperature ever recorded on the southern side of the Alps.[57] Overall, the month of May was 1.8 °C (3.2 °F) above average and the fourth hottest on record.[57][59]

United Kingdom

[edit]
Main article: 2026 United Kingdom heatwaves

On 25 May, the highest spring time temperature ever recorded in Great Britain was recorded in Kew Gardens at 34.8 °C (94.6 °F), exceeding the previous record by two degrees.[60][3][61] The next day on 26 May, the previous day's record was broken again at Kew Gardens with a reading of 35.1 °C (95.2 °F).[62][63] The heatwave has led to recorded 34.3 °C (93.7 °F) temperatures onboard London Underground trains and stations,[64] and at least 15 people died in water-related incidents across the country.[65]

On 22 June, the Met Office issued a red extreme heat warning for 24 and 25 June, which is only the second time a red warning has ever been issued.[66] On 24 June, the June temperature record was broken in Gosport, Hampshire with a reading of 36.1 °C (97.0 °F).[67]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ 40 by drowning, 18 by other causes.
  2. ^ Astronomical summer did not begin until 21 June, the meteorological equivalent having already started on 1 June.

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
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  67. ^ "June temperature record broken for fourth time as UK swelters in heat". Hampshire Chronicle. PA News Agency. 24 June 2026. Retrieved 24 June 2026.
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