In late June, a severe heatwave swept across Europe, pushing temperatures to record-breaking highs and triggering widespread disruptions across the sweltering continent.

The heatwave was driven by a heat dome. This large area of high pressure trapped hot Saharan air over the region, baking both cities and the countryside. Temperatures rose 14 to 18 degrees Celsius above normal for late June, with forecasters describing the brutal conditions as exceptional even by recent standards.

France recorded its hottest day since records began in 1947, with some areas in the southwest climbing above 43 degrees Celsius under the relentless sun. In the U.K., the temperature record for June was broken for the first time in 50 years, surpassing the previous record of 35.6 degrees set in 1976. Spain saw temperatures peak at 45.1 degrees Celsius in the south, and heat alerts were also issued in Italy, Germany, and Switzerland.

The human cost of the heatwave was severe, with at least 18 people dying from heat-related causes in France alone. Hundreds of schools closed or shortened their school days, and the Louvre Museum in Paris temporarily reduced its opening hours. Power outages were also reported in parts of France and Italy, when the heat strained electricity grids that were already under pressure due to increased air conditioning usage.

Scientists noted that Europe is the world’s fastest-warming continent, heating at roughly twice the global average. The number of days above 30 degrees Celsius in the U.K. more than tripled between 2015 and 2024. Experts warned that such heatwaves will continue to grow more frequent and more intense as climate change accelerates.