Southern and central Europe are facing record-breaking heat this week, with temperatures in parts of Portugal and Spain nearing 40 degrees Celsius, raising concerns about crop damage and water shortages as drought conditions worsen.
On Wednesday, Amareleja in Portugal reached 39.5C (103.1F), matching the country’s highest-ever temperature recorded in May. In Spain, El Granado recorded 39.1C, while Canet-en-Roussillon in southern France saw a high of 32.3C.
Portugal was forecast to hit 40C on Thursday, a level not previously recorded this early in the year. Authorities had not yet confirmed if the threshold had been crossed.
The hot weather is expected to persist into next week, with Madrid forecast to reach 37C and Seville expected to exceed 40C. Paris is likely to top 30C by Saturday.
High pressure systems over western and central Europe are responsible for the heatwave, which is compounding the effects of one of the worst droughts in decades. Farmers across southern and northern Europe are reporting delayed crop development due to unusually dry spring conditions.
“This is not just an early heatwave—it’s a serious test of our agricultural resilience,” said a climate analyst with France’s national meteorological agency.
Unseasonal heat is also affecting western Canada. After a cooler-than-normal start to spring, temperatures in British Columbia surged this week, with Ashcroft and Kamloops each recording 35.9C on Wednesday. Lytton saw 35.2C. Further records could be broken on Friday across the Northwest Territories, where the spring provincial temperature record is under threat.
Meanwhile, U.S. officials are warning of a potentially active Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June to November. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) expects between six and 10 hurricanes, with up to five major Category 3 or stronger storms.
Warm sea surface temperatures and neutral El Niño–Southern Oscillation conditions are expected to favour storm development, though forecasters say the first two weeks of the season are likely to remain quiet. Activity could increase in mid-June.
Read more via The Guardian