Authorities in France say at least seven people have died due to unseasonably warm temperatures, while for the second day in a row, the UK has recorded a new record high for May. Much of Western Europe is still dealing with a pre-summer heatwave, leading to health warnings across the continent.
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TRANSCRIPT:
In France, when summer hits, Parisians normally head to the coast because the French Capital can be a heat-trap.
Usually May is bearable - even June - but not this year, according to Isle of Man tourist Phonsie Oshea.
"I mean, it is still the month of May, and I think it must be the case, 34 degrees in Paris, I would expect in August or July. But coming in May, I thought it would be a bit cooler, maybe low 20s."
The high-pressure system or 'heat dome' is making the end of spring feel like the height of summer across Europe.
In Italy, May's a popular time for tourists, and normally, it's sunny but pleasant.
But today, this visitor says it's a slog.
"Very warm. It's - I feel it beaming on me no matter where I go."
Even areas not known for excessive heat are feeling the burn.
Slovakia's capital of Bratislava hit 30 degrees, which is eight degrees above the average temperature for the end of May.
City resident, Veronika, says she has noticed things are different.
"Actually, the climate is changing for several years. It didn't happen nowadays. It's a long story."
For some, the heat has been deadly.
French government spokesperson Maud Bregeon has highlighted reports of at least seven deaths potentially related to high temperatures, including five drownings and two deaths in sports competitions.
The Italian Health Ministry has placed 15 cities under an 'orange' alert, while the UK Health Security Agency has also issued an amber health alert for large parts of the country, warning of health risks, particularly among older people.
Across the UK, the conditions have helped fuel wildfires, including at Arthur's Seat, which towers over Edinburgh.
Monday was the hottest May day ever recorded in Britain - until Tuesday when the mercury passed 35.
Some have accordingly taken matters into their own hands.
Simon Griffiths is the founder and publisher of the Outdoor Swimmer magazine, and is leading a group taking advantage of a newly designated bathing area in the Thames.
"I've been living here for 25 years, so I've been in and out of the water most of that time. But during the pandemic, more and more people kept coming. And we formed a group of people as soon as we were allowed to be a bit more social. We're getting in the water down here, sometimes swimming up as far as Kingston. And then there was another group coming here. And some people are doing long distance swims. Some people are just getting in and floating around and enjoying the water."
Climate experts say these sorts of scorching spring days will become more common in years to come, something that poses a huge challenge for governments.
That is because cities like London simply aren't designed to deal with this sort of heat on a regular basis.
These residents say homes are designed for a climate that no longer exists.
WOMAN: "It's quite unbearable. I've had to install AC (air conditioning) in my bedroom."
MAN: "Heat here is very warm. A lot of people have air conditioning so that is ok whereas back home no air conditioning so it is a struggle. It's a struggle."
Temperatures are finally expected to cool a little by the weekend.
That's just in time for summer to officially begin.
But Stephen Dixon from Britain's weather service, known as the Met Office, says it's too early to say if things will get worse before they get better.
“A warm period in spring isn't necessarily an indicator of the conditions you'll see through summer. Although there's an El Niño developing, it's not influential in terms of the current heat we're experiencing at the moment and indeed any influence on the UK's weather is... It's one of a number of factors which can have an influence on the UK's weather, so we need to be closer to the time to understand the potential influence of that.”
