A brutal heatwave gripping Europe intensified this week, pushing temperatures to record highs and triggering sweeping health alerts, school closures, and fatalities across the continent. In Paris, forecasters expected temperatures to reach 40°C (104°F) on Tuesday, while Spain reported its hottest June on record and Italy issued red alerts in 17 cities including Milan and Rome.
Barcelona saw its highest average June temperature-26°C (78.8°F)-since records began in 1914, according to Spain's national weather agency, AEMET. A single-day high of 37.9°C (100°F) was also recorded on Monday at the Fabra Observatory. "We are experiencing a very intense heat wave that has come early in the summer and that is clearly linked to global warming," said Ramón Pascual, AEMET's regional delegate in Barcelona.
Elsewhere in Spain, the southern province of Huelva registered a staggering 46°C (114°F), a new national high for June. Nationwide, the June average of 23.6°C (74.5°F) surpassed even July and August norms for the first time.
In France, Météo-France placed 16 departments under the highest red alert, with temperatures hitting 40-41°C in some regions and 1,350 schools either fully or partially closed. "We are the first of July and we are seeing episodes of extreme heat which normally we would see later on in the summer," said World Meteorological Organization spokesperson Clare Nullis.
The top deck of the Eiffel Tower was shuttered, and authorities urged tourists to hydrate and seek shade. "We woke up as early as possible to get out as early as possible so we can rest during the afternoon," said Susana Leivonen, a Finnish tourist in Paris.
In Italy, a 47-year-old construction worker collapsed and died near Bologna, while a 53-year-old woman in Sicily died while walking outdoors. The country's health ministry expanded red alerts to 17 cities as authorities banned outdoor work during the hottest hours of the day in several regions.
Wildfires have flared across Turkey, prompting evacuations of over 50,000 residents and destroying dozens of homes. Fire crews struggled to contain a wind-driven blaze in Hatay province but made progress on fires in İzmir and Manisa, according to Forestry Minister İbrahim Yumaklı.
Portugal's weather service confirmed its highest June temperature ever: 46.6°C (115.9°F) in the town of Mora. In the Netherlands, Amsterdam officials moved an annual slavery commemoration ceremony earlier in the day to avoid peak heat, while Soest firefighters brought hoses to cool down a local water gun fight.
In Prague, zoo staff delivered 10 metric tons of ice to animals daily. Polar bear brothers Aleut and Gregor rolled on fresh ice scattered across their enclosure, occasionally finding frozen squid as a treat.
Climate scientists and public health agencies warn that such heatwaves are becoming more frequent, longer, and more dangerous due to human-induced climate change. The European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service noted Europe is warming at twice the global average. Mediterranean waters, especially the Balearic Sea, have reached temperatures 6°C above normal, exacerbating heat over land.
According to Swiss Re, extreme heat now claims up to 480,000 lives annually worldwide-more than floods, earthquakes, and hurricanes combined. "We keep hearing about climate change. I think we're definitely feeling it now," said Londoner Omar Bah, where temperatures reached 32°C (89.6°F).
As Europe braces for more heatwaves in the coming weeks, meteorologists say temperature spikes of 50°C (122°F) may become the norm by 2100 if warming trends continue.
