Record-breaking heatwave scorches Europe during spring season

Added: 2026-05-27

[00:00:00]A temperature of 34 or 35 degrees Celsius may sound normal to many people in India.

[00:00:06]But across parts of Western Europe, those temperatures are highly unusual for this time of year and are now causing major concern.

[00:00:15]A powerful heatwave is sweeping across several European countries, breaking records and prompting health warnings.

[00:00:23]To understand why this is significant, it's important to look at the timing.

[00:00:28]Late May is usually considered a pleasant spring period across much of Europe.

[00:00:33]Temperatures often stay around 20 to 22 degrees Celsius and this is also when tourism begins to peak before the busy summer season.

[00:00:43]But this year, the weather has taken a dramatic turn.

[00:00:47]In the United Kingdom, Monday, May 25th became the hottest May day ever recorded.

[00:00:53]Temperatures reached 34.8 degrees Celsius at Kew Gardens in London, breaking a record that had stood for decades.

[00:01:01]Temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius in May are uncommon in the UK. The last such events were recorded in 2012 and 2005.

[00:01:12]Historical records show only a handful of similar instances, including in 1944, 1945, 1947, and 1953, highlighting how unusual it is for summer-like heat to arrive this early in the year.

[00:01:29]London also experienced what meteorologists call a tropical night, where temperatures do not fall below 20 degrees Celsius even after sunset. Such nights are rare in the UK, where homes, schools, and many workplaces are not designed to handle prolonged heat.

[00:01:48]Air conditioning is still uncommon in many homes.

[00:01:51]Large sections of London's underground network do not have air conditioning and many buildings are designed to trap heat during winter rather than release it during summer. Obviously, iced coffee is a necessity. And then yeah, I just I like anything that sort of just floats around and doesn't touch me at all. Especially especially on the tube. I feel like that's the key. Just don't touch don't don't have anything touch you at all.

[00:02:18]It's it's quite intense. Feels a little early for it to be this hot.

[00:02:22]But it feels so different. I'm from the States originally. Feels really different even this temperature in you know like New York versus in London.

[00:02:29]Feels much hotter here even when the temperature is the same.

[00:02:33]Well, it's quite unbearable. I've had to install AC in my bedroom.

[00:02:38]Other than that, I'm just staying hydrated.

[00:02:41]Trying to stay in the shade as much as possible. And trying to do as little movement as possible. The heat has also increased the risk of wildfires.

[00:02:50]In Scotland, firefighters worked through the night to contain a grass fire on Arthur's Seat, the famous hill overlooking Edinburgh.

[00:02:59]Health authorities across much of the UK have issued warnings particularly for elderly people and those with existing health conditions.

[00:03:08]The heatwave is affecting other countries as well. In France, temperatures have soared well above 30° C in many regions breaking records for the month of May.

[00:03:19]Government officials say at least seven deaths may be linked to the hot weather including drowning incidents and deaths during sporting activities.

[00:03:28]Uh so actually if I I'm from Japan and this is like same like here as Japan.

[00:03:35]Very hot and warm. So about same temperature as Japan for now.

[00:03:42]So but I didn't expect that this is very warm in Paris. So I'm very surprised.

[00:03:50]In Spain, people are relying on traditional ways to beat the heat.

[00:03:55]Vendors are serving popular summer drinks such as barley water, lemonade slushies, and horchata, a sweet drink made from tiger nuts, as temperatures continue to climb.

[00:04:06]Experts say the bigger concern is not just the temperature itself, but how early these conditions are arriving.

[00:04:13]As global temperatures continue to rise, heat waves are becoming more frequent, more intense, and increasingly unpredictable.