Western Europe Endures Fifth Heat Wave of Record-Breaking Summer

Large parts of western Europe sweltered under intense heat on Thursday, August 13, as Britain and France entered their fifth heat wave of an exceptional summer that is on track to be the hottest on record. Temperatures soared above 40 degrees Celsius in parts of France, while the United Kingdom recorded one of its hottest days ever, with the mercury hitting 38.1 degrees Celsius at Kew Gardens in London.

The extreme heat, which affected more than 135 million people across the continent, placed severe strain on infrastructure, public health, and emergency services. In France, temperatures reached a peak of 42.5 degrees Celsius in Châteaumeillant in the central region, while Paris saw readings around 38 degrees Celsius. The heat wave also impacted large swathes of Italy and Spain, with forecasters warning that hundreds of millions of Europeans experienced temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius.

The United Kingdom's Met Office confirmed that the 38.1 degrees Celsius reading at Kew Gardens made it the fifth-highest temperature on record for the country. With only average conditions needed for the remainder of August, the nation is poised to surpass last year's record for the hottest...