2026 European heatwaves

Rare card · No. 43230

Starting in late May 2026, several severe heatwaves affected Europe. Temperature records were broken in Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. The first heatwave began on 24 May, with temperatures higher than normal and several heat-related deaths. Temperatures were the highest ever recorded for May, with climate change causing the earlier onset of Central Europe's summer. Western Europe was the most affected area, with reports of record-breaking temperatures in France, Ireland and the United Kingdom. Other countries with unusually high temperatures were Portugal, at 40 °C (104 °F), and Spain, with temperatures in the southwest reaching 39 °C (102 °F). A second, more severe heatwave began on 17 June, just days before the summer solstice. In France, Météo-France declared 23 June the country's hottest day since measurements began in 1947,...

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