Europe’s Early Heat Wave Kills People as UK Breaks Century-Old Temperature Record at Kew Gardens

An exceptionally early heat wave scorched parts of Western Europe, with the United Kingdom smashing a century-old temperature record for the second time in 24 hours on Tuesday as spring heat continued to scorch parts of the continent.

“Heatwave grips Western Europe as Portugal braces for 40C Ilayda Cakirtekin 26 May 2026•Update: 26 May 2026 ISTANBUL France on Tuesday reported seven heat-related deaths as western Europe swelters under high temperatures”

Anadolu Ajansı

The Associated Press said a temperature of 35.1 Celsius (95.2 Fahrenheit) was recorded at London’s Kew Gardens, breaking the 34.8 C (94.6 F) record set a day earlier at Kew.

Anadolu Ajansı

In France, the national weather service Météo-France said a “heat dome,” with heat held in place by a high-pressure weather front, was producing temperatures more than 10 degrees Celsius above what is usual for this time of year.

The NPR report said the U.K. Health Security Agency issued an amber health alert for large parts of the country through Thursday, warning of a potential health risk, particularly among older people, at the hottest times of the day.

NPR also reported that several drownings were reported in Britain and France as people tried to cool down, with at least four teenagers dying in apparent drownings in U.K. lakes and reservoirs and a 60-year-old man dying in the sea in southwest England.

CNN described the heat dome as a persistent high-pressure system that acts like a lid on a pot, trapping hot air and pushing it downward, and said it can remain in place for days or even weeks.

CNN quoted Peter Thorne, director of the ICARUS Climate Research Centre, saying, "We know beyond a shadow of a doubt that heat wave events such as this have been made more likely and more severe due to climate change".

Associated Press

In France, French government spokesperson Maud Bregeon told TF1 that there have been "seven deaths directly or indirectly linked to the heat," including at least five from drowning and deaths related to extreme heat during sports events.

Anadolu Ajansı reported Bregeon said five of the reported deaths were drowning cases as people rushed to cool off in water bodies, and that there were also deaths linked to extreme heat during sporting competitions.

The NPR account added that London commuters sweltered on Tuesday in subway carriages without air conditioning, and that trains to and from the busy Waterloo station were disrupted by a report of smoke on the tracks.

USA TODAY said the record-breaking temperatures were under the influence of a high pressure area that’s allowing exceptional heat to build up, reaching levels not previously reported for this time of year, Dan Suri, Met Office Chief Operational Meteorologist, said in a May 25 update.

“This is a catastrophe”

Bon Pote

USA TODAY reported that the high pressure is expected to lose that influence in late May, and that a 2025 study by the Met Office forecasters found the chances of surpassing the May temperature record is more than three times as likely now because of climate change than it would have been without greenhouse gas emissions.

The same USA TODAY report said some parts of France were seeing temperatures that are 50 degrees Fahrenheit higher than usual for this time of year, and that May 25 was also the hottest day ever recorded in May in France, Meteo France reported.

PBS (AP) said the U.K. broke its record Monday for the hottest temperature recorded in May, and that the U.K. Health Security Agency had issued its first amber health alert of the year, warning of a rise in deaths, particularly among the elderly, at the hottest times of the day.

In Spain, NPR reported that weather service spokesperson Rubén del Campo said, "We find ourselves with temperatures we normally see in the middle of the summer now in the month of May," as the unseasonable heat extended beyond the United Kingdom and France.