European Countries Brace for Another Heatwave

EUROPE – The U.K. and France are bracing for the fifth heat wave of the season, extending a stretch of intense heat that has affected Europe since May.

Météo-France warned southeastern regions could approach 104 degrees Fahrenheit starting Tuesday, while most of England will be under an amber heat-health alert as temperatures climb toward 96 degrees later this week.

The prolonged heat has fueled major wildfires, worsened drought and broken national temperature records. The heat wave is also linked to thousands of projected heat-related deaths across the continent.

Scientists say 2026 is currently the third-hottest year on record, behind 2024 and 2025. But with accelerated human-driven warming and a strong El Niño, there is a real chance this year could become the warmest yet.

Researchers say July had the highest average sea-surface temperature ever recorded across the extra-polar oceans, a sign of widening global warming.