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France and the United Kingdom are preparing for a fifth heatwave this season, with forecasters warning of temperatures approaching 40 degrees Celsius in southeastern France and 36°C in parts of England later this week.
Météo-France issued an alert for temperatures nearing 40°C (104°F) from Tuesday onward, while the UK’s Met Office placed most of England under an amber heat health alert starting on Tuesday as thermometers are expected to reach 36°C (96.8°F).
The persistent heat, which first arrived in May, has fueled wildfires, worsened drought conditions and broken national temperature records across the continent, according to meteorological agencies. Thousands of heat-related deaths have been projected.
Credit: Reuters
Climate statistics show 2026 is currently the third-warmest year globally, behind 2024 and 2025. But scientists say the combination of human-induced warming and a strong El Niño could push the year to the top of the rankings by December.
El Niño, a periodic warming of Pacific waters, influences weather patterns worldwide.
Copernicus, the European climate agency, reported that July set a new record for average sea surface temperatures outside polar regions. The reading of 20.96°C (69.73°F) surpassed the previous July record of 20.89°C (69.60°F) set in 2023.
Copernicus attributed the increase in part to developing El Niño conditions in the equatorial Pacific.
