Europe Is Boiling At 45°C, And It’s Not El Nino. Here’s What’s Really Happening

Published 24 June 2026 · europe

Europe Is Boiling At 45°C, And It’s Not El Nino. Here’s What’s Really Happening Published By, Last Updated: June 24, 2026, 11:17 IST France is

Europe Is Boiling At 45°C, And It’s Not El Nino. Here’s What’s Really Happening Published By, Last Updated: June 24, 2026, 11:17 IST France is reporting deaths and drownings, Britain is closing schools and transport systems are under pressure as Europe bakes. Rapid Read A woman uses an iPhone to shield her face from the sun while walking on Oxford Street as Britain experiences record temperatures disrupting schools and transport networks. (REUTERS) Europe is facing another spell of dangerous heat, with temperatures crossing 40 degrees Celsius in parts of France and Spain, heat alerts issued across large parts of the continent and authorities warning of serious risks to life and infrastructure. France, currently at the centre of the heatwave, recorded its hottest nationally averaged day on Tuesday, while temperatures in one town crossed 44 degrees Celsius. In southern Spain, temperatures exceeded 45 degrees Celsius in Andújar. Heat alerts were in place across 23 European countries, with Germany, France, Spain, Switzerland and Luxembourg placed under the most severe red-level warnings. The heat has also proved deadly. French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said 40 people had drowned since June 18 and linked the deaths to the high temperatures, calling them a “grim scourge". Three elderly people died near Bordeaux, while two children, aged two and four, were found dead in a hot car in southern France. The immediate weather pattern behind this prolonged spell of heat is known as an Omega Block. But what does that mean, and why is it keeping temperatures so high? What Is An Omega Block? An Omega Block is a weather pattern in which a large area of high pressure becomes trapped between two areas of low pressure. It gets its name from the Greek letter Omega, written as Ω. On a weather map, the arrangement of the pressure systems resembles the shape of the letter: a bulge of high pressure in the middle, with low-pressure systems on either side. The word “block" is important. Normally, weather systems move from west to east across Europe, carried along by a band of strong winds high in the atmosphere known as the jet stream.

During an Omega Block, that normal movement is disrupted. The jet stream bends sharply northwards and southwards instead of flowing in a relatively steady direction. This leaves the pressure systems cut off and slows their movement. As a result, the high-pressure area can remain stuck over the same region for several days. Omega Blocks generally last between three and 10 days, but in some cases, they can remain in place for weeks. How Is It Trapping Heat Over Europe? The high-pressure area at the centre of the Omega Block is creating hot, dry and settled conditions over parts of Western Europe. High pressure limits the formation of clouds. With fewer clouds to block the Sun, the ground receives intense sunshine for long periods during the day. Winds also remain weak, which means the hot air is not quickly replaced by cooler air. The heat therefore remains over the same area and continues to build. This central high-pressure zone is also described as a heat dome because it behaves like a lid over a pot, holding hot air in place. The heat dome is one part of the wider Omega Block, which also includes the two low-pressure systems on either side. Richard Allan, a professor of climate science at the University of Reading, told CNN that a heat dome over Europe in summer was not unusual, “but the temperatures are". The effects of the block are different across the continent. Countries beneath the central high-pressure system face clear skies, dry conditions and extreme heat. Areas under the low-pressure systems on either side are more likely to experience cooler and wetter weather. Britain lies near the boundary between the intense heat and cooler air to the northwest. According to the UK Met Office, this is producing very hot conditions in southern and eastern Britain, while northern and western areas remain relatively cooler and wetter. Why Is The Current Heat So Extreme? The Omega Block explains why the weather has become stuck, but climate change explains why the heat trapped beneath it is now reaching much higher levels.