Europe heatwave breaks records as UN agencies ramp up health warnings

Published 25 June 2026 · europe

The extreme heat is also impacting economic activities, infrastructure, agriculture and ecosystems, the UN weather agency said on Thursday, providing an overview of the situation

The extreme heat is also impacting economic activities, infrastructure, agriculture and ecosystems, the UN weather agency said on Thursday, providing an overview of the situation. France recorded its hottest day on record on 24 June, with an average national temperature of 30.0°C, according to the national meteorological service Météo-France, beating a record set only the previous day and surpassing earlier national records from July 2019 and August 2003. In the western town of Pulluau, temperatures climbed to 43.8°C. Overnight temperatures also reached a new national high. Authorities issued top-level red alerts for a record 58 departments, covering most of the country, and warned of increased risk of forest fires due amid worsening drought. Drowning deaths underscore heat dangers WMO noted that 40 people reportedly died in drowning accidents in France, underlining the dangers associated with the life-threatening heat. Neighbouring Spain also recorded its hottest June days on record (23 and 24 June) with temperatures above 40°C in several locations, according to the national meteorological agency AEMET. The United Kingdom’s met office issued a red extreme heat warning for 24 and 25 June and reported a provisional new June daily high of 36.1°C at Gosport, in southern England, on 24 June. Meanwhile, Germany’s national weather service has also issued widespread red alerts, including for Bonn, Frankfurt and Cologne, while three cities in Switzerland – Geneva, Basel and Zurich – were also under red alert.

Tweet URL ‘Fingerprints of the climate crisis’ UN climate chief Simon Stiell weighed in on the extreme temperatures in Europe, saying the “savage heatwave has the fingerprints of the climate crisis all over it”. He warned that “until humanity stops burning coal, oil and gas, extreme heat will keep getting worse,” highlighting the need for countries to accelerate the shift to renewable energy, protect forests and boost climate resilience. The heatwave is expected to spread across large parts of western, central and southern Europe over the next two weeks, according to a regional climate monitoring centre that is part of a WMO network. The forecast indicates temperatures between 3°C and 10°C above the weekly average for this time of year while daily maximum temperatures above 35°C are expected in many areas, with some locations in the southwest exceeding 40°C. Night brings no relief Many places are also likely to experience so-called “tropical nights”, when nighttime temperatures do not fall below 20°C (68°F). These conditions, which become increasingly common during heatwaves and particularly in cities, increase the risk of heat stress, forest fires and, in some areas, strong thunderstorms with hail. Nighttime heat can be especially dangerous because it prevents the body from recovering, said Armel Castellan, an extreme heat services technical advisor at the climate and health joint office of WMO and the World Health Organization (WHO).