Spain and Portugal are set to experience the worst heat this week – with temperatures likely to reach as high as possible in parts of Portugal almost 40 degrees Celsiusand in the south of Spain the forecast is 38 degrees. Temperatures are expected to be well above May averages in France, Belgium and the UK.
In France, the national meteorological agency warned against “early, exceptional and long-lasting heat wave”during which temperatures will be 12 degrees or even more higher than the seasonal average.
In many cities in western France, May temperature records are expected to be broken by several degrees. A 35-degree heat wave is expected in Nantes on Monday – which would break the record set in May 2017 by almost three degrees.
The British Meteorological Agency has warned of an “exceptional heat wave” – the mercury may indicate even 33 degreeswhich would set a new May temperature record in the country. In Belgium, temperatures of up to 31 degrees are forecast.
The “hot dome” is responsible for the current high temperatures, said the French meteorological agency Meteo-France. Warm air flowing from northern Africa has been trapped under a high pressure system over Western Europe. This effect can be compared to covering a pot with a lid — warm air is pushed down and warms the affected regions with intense heat for a long time.
Meteo-France emphasizes that this phenomenon is becoming more frequent as a result of climate change. “We expect such heatwaves to become more frequent,” the agency said. “They will come out earlier in the season and get stronger.”
In the UK, heat health warnings have been issued for parts of England until Wednesday, including an orange alert for London warning of “serious consequences” for health and social care and an increase in the number of deaths among the elderly and sick. Spain has issued yellow heat warnings for some northern regions for Monday.
