France and the UK have recorded record-breaking heat waves

More than 350 towns and cities in France recorded their highest-ever temperatures for the month of May. Meanwhile, France and the United Kingdom set national heat records amid a severe heatwave across Western Europe.

This was reported by The Guardian.

According to the British Met Office, temperatures in London’s Kew Gardens reached 34.8°C, setting a new May record for the UK.

In France, the national weather service Météo France reported that new temperature highs were recorded at 352 weather stations, mainly in the western regions of the country. The highest reading was 37.1°C and was recorded near Hossegor in the Landes department.

Climatologist Christophe Cassou called the situation “unprecedented,” noting:

“This is an unprecedented event, with a probability of 1 in 1,000 at this time of year based on climate data from 1979 to 2025, and one that would have been virtually impossible in the pre-industrial era.”

Amid the abnormal heatwave in France, seven deaths linked to high temperatures have also been reported. According to government spokesperson Maud Bregon, five of them were due to drowning.

“Today I can say that seven deaths have been recorded that are directly or indirectly linked to the heat,” she stated.

The French government emphasized that final conclusions regarding the causes of death will be clarified after the period of extreme temperatures ends.

Ukraine will not be hit by the abnormal heat wave forecast for Western European countries, and the wave of extremely high temperatures will remain outside our region. Meteorologists explain that weather patterns in Ukraine develop differently, so significantly milder conditions are expected by the end of May.

In the coming days, Europe is expected to experience the first powerful wave of summer heat, which will raise temperatures to record highs for this time of year. The greatest warming is forecast for the United Kingdom, France, and Spain—where temperatures may reach monthly highs.