Share Source: The Guardian
Europe has experienced exceptional heat this week: temperature records were broken in many countries under a persistent high-pressure system, commonly referred to as a “heat dome.”
Key points:
- Record temperatures were recorded in numerous European nations during the May heatwave.
- In London, the May temperature record was surpassed, reaching 35.1°C.
- Maximum and minimum temperature records for May were also broken across various European countries.
May 2026 Temperature Records in Europe
On May 26th, the UK broke its May maximum temperature record, with 35.1°C registered at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in London. This surpassed the record set the previous day, when 34.8°C was recorded in London on Monday.
Previously, the May maximum temperature record stood at 32.8°C, set in 1922 and equaled in 1944.
Ireland also saw its May maximum temperature record broken, with 28.8°C recorded at two weather stations: Killarney in the southwest and Clonmel in the south.
It wasn’t just maximum temperatures that were broken; nighttime lows also reached record levels. On Tuesday night, temperatures in Camborne, southwest England, only dropped to 21.4°C, marking another tropical night where temperatures remained above 20°C.
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Similarly, France recorded temperatures reaching 36°C on Monday and Tuesday, making them the hottest May days in recorded history. A French government spokesperson stated that this week’s heatwave has been directly or indirectly responsible for seven deaths.
Significantly, temperatures in some parts of Europe are approximately 10-15°C higher than the average for this time of year.
Temperatures are expected to remain 5-10°C above average for the rest of this week, but will gradually begin to decrease in the UK next week.