As early summer hits Europe, people are already struggling with a sudden surge in temperatures. Western Europe is bracing for a week of extreme, unseasonal heat as a massive 'heat dome' drives May temperatures to historic highs. Countries from the Iberian Peninsula to the British Isles are experiencing conditions typically reserved for July. Weather agencies across the continent are issuing urgent health warnings due to this extreme anomaly.
Record-Breaking Heat
Spain and Portugal are bearing the brunt of the initial heat wave, with some parts of Portugal expected to reach nearly 40 degrees Celsius. Areas of southern Spain are forecast to hit 38 degrees Celsius. Further north, France, Belgium, and the UK are preparing for a suffocating stretch of weather significantly higher than their usual May averages.
Unprecedented Wave in France
France's national weather agency has sounded the alarm over an 'early, remarkable, and lasting' heatwave. Temperatures across the country are soaring to 12 degrees Celsius or more above the seasonal average. Multiple cities in western France are set to break May temperature records by several degrees. Nantes, for example, is expecting 35 degrees Celsius, which would break its 2017 May record by nearly three degrees.
UK and Belgium
The UK's weather agency is warning of a notable heatwave pushing temperatures up to 33 degrees Celsius. If reached, this would officially break May temperature records for the country. Belgium is also sweltering under its own rare spring heat, with regional highs forecast to top out around 31 degrees Celsius.
The Heat Dome Phenomenon
According to meteorologists at Meteo-France, this intense weather is caused by a 'heat dome.' Warm air moving up from Northern Africa becomes trapped beneath a high-pressure system over Western Europe. The effect is similar to a lid on a pot, with warm air forced downward, baking the affected regions with prolonged, blistering heat.
Footprint of Climate Change
Weather experts point directly to shifting global climates as the reason this phenomenon is becoming more common. Meteo-France noted that extreme atmospheric events are rapidly becoming a regular feature of European weather. The agency warned that such heatwaves will occur more frequently, earlier, and with greater intensity.
Health Alerts
The sudden spike in temperatures has forced governments to issue urgent safety warnings to protect public health. The UK has issued heat health alerts across parts of England, including an amber alert for London warning of significant impacts on health and social care services, and a rise in deaths among the elderly and ill. Similarly, Spain has issued yellow heat warnings across parts of the north.
