Europe's extreme heatwave
France enters week of record-breaking heatwave; schools close amid extreme temperatures.
France is entering a full week of dangerous heat, with temperatures topping 40°C (104°F) during the day and staying above 20°C at night. AP News reports that 49 of France's 101 departments are now on
France is entering a full week of dangerous heat, with temperatures topping 40°C (104°F) during the day and staying above 20°C at night. AP News reports that 49 of France's 101 departments are now on red alert — the highest danger level — covering about 75% of the population. The UK is not spared either. The Met Office has issued an "extreme heat" warning for southern England and Wales through Thursday, with London forecast to hit 39°C (102°F).
Three people have already died in the Gironde region, all aged between 80 and 95, according to local authorities. The World Health Organization warns that Europe lost more than 200,000 people to heat over the past four years — and calls nearly all of those deaths preventable.
Red Alerts Spread as Heat Dome Locks In Over France
A "heat dome" — a dome of high pressure that traps hot air like a lid — is sitting over Western Europe. AP News says Météo France climatologist Matthieu Sorel warned as early as June 18 that the event could "equal that of August 2003" in severity. That 2003 heatwave killed nearly 15,000 people in France alone. This time, red alerts were already covering 35 departments by Sunday. By Monday, that number had jumped to 49.
Temperatures peaked at 42°C (107.6°F) in Pissos, a town in southwestern France. Forecasters say the heat will not ease before Friday, June 26. Nights in cities like Paris are staying between 20°C and 25°C — warm enough to prevent the body from recovering from daytime heat. Météo France calls this a "plateau" of unrelenting conditions.
845 Schools Closed as Baccalauréat Exams Hang in the Balance
France shut 845 schools and adjusted hours for 1,800 more. French Education Minister Édouard Geffray said the heat has "disrupted the school calendar." The timing is especially painful: the closures are colliding with the Baccalauréat oral exams — France's high-school graduation tests. The Île-de-France region, which includes Paris, has set aside €1 million in emergency funding just to cool exam centers.
Authorities also banned alcohol at Fête de la Musique events and canceled outdoor sports competitions. Public health officials said alcohol mixed with extreme heat creates a "deadly cocktail," raising the risk of heatstroke by causing dehydration and clouding judgment. President Emmanuel Macron urged citizens to "take care of our oldest and most vulnerable."
Only 20% of European Homes Have AC — and That Gap Kills
Unlike the United States, where roughly 90% of homes have air conditioning, only about 20% of European households own a cooling system. Most people rely on open windows, fans, and public misting stations. In Paris, residents have been lining up at public fountains. In some cities, people are retreating underground to historic ruins just to escape the heat.
The lack of cooling infrastructure hits the elderly hardest. Dr. Hans Kluge, the WHO's regional director for Europe, said plainly: "Europe lost 200,000 people to heat in 4 years, yet nearly all of them were preventable." A debate is now simmering between medical experts who want a rapid rollout of air conditioning and climate advocates who worry that more AC will drive up energy use and make warming worse.
Trains Cut, Crops at Risk, and Productivity Set to Plunge
The heat is hitting France's economy hard. Both France and Belgium have already cut rail services because high temperatures can warp tracks and overheat electrical systems. Outdoor workers in construction, logistics, and port handling are being forced into mandatory rest breaks. Supply chain experts warn of significant slowdowns across the EU's second-largest economy.
Farmers are struggling too. Harvests at 42°C are nearly impossible, threatening crop yields and livestock health. Meanwhile, the UK Met Office's deputy chief forecaster Steven Keates said forecasters have "growing confidence" that this week could break Britain's all-time June temperature record of 35.6°C. He warned the heat will feel especially brutal due to "oppressive" humidity.
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