Europe reels under scorching heatwave with record-breaking temperatures, France worst-hit nation
PTC News Desk: Europe is reeling under the scorching heatwave, shattering temperature records and pulling millions at risk. France has been the worst-hit nations as the crisis gradually unfolds.
France has experienced some of the hottest weather in its history in recent days with Paris recording more days with temperatures above 40°C than it had during the entire period from 1872 to 2019.
The extreme heat has been caused by a heat dome—a large high-pressure system that traps hot air over an area. This has brought clear skies, strong sunshine and unusually high temperatures for this time of the year.
A bus driver in France crashed today because he fainted due to the heat having no AC in the bus pic.twitter.com/zSeqTBjVTa — @levelsio (@levelsio) June 25, 2026
How hot is France?
France has been the worst-hit country during the current heatwave. The country's average temperature this week reached 29.8°C, based on readings from weather stations across France. This broke the previous national record and matched or exceeded it again the following day.
The highest temperature recorded during the heatwave was 44.3°C in Pissos, a town in southwestern France.
In Paris, temperatures crossed 40°C on two consecutive days for the first time ever in June. Several parts of western and southwestern France recorded temperatures between 39°C and 43°C.
France's national weather agency, Meteo-France, issued its highest-level red heat alert for more than half of the country. It warned that the extreme heat poses serious health risks, especially for elderly people, children and those with existing medical conditions.
- With inputs from agencies
