Unusually high temperatures driven by a “heat dome” are affecting several countries across Europe, with the heat beginning in early week and expected to persist. Multiple outlets report that record-high May temperatures are recorded in the UK and France, with forecasters warning of continued extreme heat across the region. The cause is described as warm air originating from northern Africa becoming trapped under a high-pressure system over western Europe, keeping temperatures well above seasonal norms and levels more typical of high summer.
Spain and Ireland are also mentioned as being impacted, with Spain expected to reach particularly high temperatures later in the week, with one report citing a peak around 38°C. In parts of Italy, heat measures include limits or restrictions on working outdoors, reflecting the operational and health concerns that accompany extreme heat.
Scientific commentary included in the coverage links the increasing frequency of such extreme events to climate change, noting that global warming makes conditions like heat domes more common and more intense.
