Europe heatwave kills over 1,200, shatters temperature records

An extreme heatwave sweeping western, central and southern Europe in late June 2026 broke numerous temperature records and triggered a health crisis. Temperatures reached 45 °C in Spain, nearly 41 °C in Paris, 44 °C in southern France, 41.7 °C in Coschen, Germany, and 40.7 °C in Budapest. Nighttime lows in Saxony, Germany, stayed above 29 °C.

The World Health Organization reported more than 1,300 excess deaths linked to the heat, with France alone seeing close to 1,000 fatalities and Spain over 200. Emergency calls in the United Kingdom surpassed COVID‑19 levels. Authorities closed or shortened the school year for more than 1,300 French schools and imposed speed limits on rail lines to prevent track deformation.

Scientists attribute the prolonged heat to an “Omega block” – a persistent high‑pressure system that trapped hot air over western Europe and funneled Saharan warmth eastward. The event underscores Europe’s rapid warming, now the fastest among continents, and highlights the growing frequency of climate‑driven extreme weather.