Europe is bracing for a punishing stretch of heat, with forecasters warning that the coming week could bring fresh temperature records across the continent.
In France, temperatures are expected to hit 40C today, with Monday likely to climb even higher as emergency crews and military units are placed on wildfire alert.
Government officials said half of the country will move onto red alert tomorrow, the most severe heat warning, covering 49 of France’s 96 mainland departments, or administrative regions. Meteo-France said another 40 departments will remain on orange alert.
The national forecaster added that some departments currently under orange alert could also be upgraded to red on Monday.
At the same time, the head of SNCF, France’s state-owned railway operator, urged vulnerable people to reconsider rail travel during the heatwave.
“We recommend the most vulnerable people postpone their trip or at least avoid taking the train during this heatwave,” Jean Castex told reporters.
Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu also moved in advance to ban alcohol consumption at the annual Fete de la Musique festivals and other public events taking place in 35 regions today.
In Paris, however, authorities ordered parks to stay open around the clock.
UK temperatures predicted to reach 38C
The UK is also facing intensifying heat, with an extreme heat warning extended as forecasters predict temperatures could reach 38C.
The UK Met Office said the hot spell may persist until at least Thursday, prompting weather warnings, health alerts and renewed concern for vulnerable people.
Forecasters said there is “growing confidence” that this week could surpass the UK’s highest June temperature on record, 35.6C, set in Southampton in 1976.
The days ahead are expected to bring humid air and the possibility of tropical nights, when temperatures stay above 20C after dark, creating conditions that feel “muggier” than last month’s heatwave, the Met Office said.
On Sunday, the weather service expanded an amber extreme heat warning to run from Monday through Thursday.
The alert warns of potential health effects for people most vulnerable to extreme heat, wider heat-related impacts for the broader population and a possible rise in water safety incidents.
The UK Met Offfice said temperatures will remain very high overnight
The warning for Monday and Tuesday covers most of southern England, central and eastern Wales, and much of the Midlands. By Wednesday and Thursday, it will also extend into parts of Greater Manchester, Yorkshire and Cheshire.
The weather service said substantial changes to work and everyday routines may be needed, and warned people to expect disruption to road, air and rail travel.
Met Office meteorologist Simon Partridge said: “Everybody will feel this because it will be very hot and the overnight temperatures, in particular, will mean that people won’t be getting as much sleep, probably, as they would usually do, so it will affect everyone.
“There’s also potential for impacts to transport as well. We know that when things get very warm, there can sometimes be issues with railway lines, and even the possibility that some roads might not be doing too well.
Separate amber heat health alerts have also been issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), now covering most of England from Monday morning until Friday night.
A yellow heat alert remains in force for north-east England over the same period.
The heatwave is expected to affect Spain until next Thursday
Spain swelters in first official heatwave of 2026
Spain, meanwhile, is in the grip of its first official heatwave of 2026, with tourists and residents in Madrid struggling through temperatures of up to 40 degrees Celsius today.
Officials said a public screening in Madrid of the national football team’s World Cup match against Saudi Arabia was cancelled because extreme heat was forecast for the capital.
AEMET, the state-run weather forecaster, said 13 of Spain’s 17 regions were on orange alert for heat on Sunday, while the Basque Country in the northwest was placed on red alert, the highest level. The heatwave is expected to last until Thursday, with temperatures in some areas forecast to reach 44C.
The agency warned that temperatures above 39 to 40C could spread across large swathes of the Iberian Peninsula and Mallorca.
In Germany, organisers halted the final of the Berlin Open tennis tournament and evacuated the venue because of what they called “severe weather conditions”.
Temperatures in the German capital rose above 30C over the weekend, while storms swept across much of the surrounding region today.
