‘Like a zombie’: Europe reels under blistering early summer heatwave

Nevin Al Sukari - Sana'a - Sunbathers relax in the sunshine on Bournemouth beach on the south coast of England on May 26, 2026, as heatwave conditions spread to parts of south-east England and London. — AFP pic

LONDON, May 27 — People in western Europe turned to fans and fountains as they sweltered through a record-breaking heatwave yesterday, with temperatures set to soar even further.

Hit by a so-called “heat dome” of warm air from northern Africa that is pushing the mercury well above normal levels for May, some Europeans even admitted they were considering getting air conditioning, in a region famously averse.

Baking in a bright London sun, 47-year-old Gurjit Gill, who works in banking, said he was happy to be going into work — because of the air con.

“I’m thinking about actually maybe getting an AC unit, because the bedrooms at nighttime are quite unbearable,” he told AFP.

People across western Europe swarmed beaches, braved streets clutching handheld fans and umbrellas to fend off the sun, and went for a dip or splashed themselves wherever they could — including at Rome’s Barcaccia fountain and bubblers in the Jardin du Palais Royal in Paris.

The UK reported its hottest-ever day for May, at 35.1°C at Kew Gardens, in southwest London — breaking a record of 34.8°C set at the same location Monday — as a high-pressure system trapped warm air over western Europe.

In France, which also logged its hottest-ever May day Monday and then again yesterday, the weather agency said the heatwave could last through the week, predicting temperatures could go as high as 39°C in some areas.

“We are not in an emergency situation,” Health Minister Stephanie Rist said, but added: “We need to be wary of these heatwaves, even if we’re starting to get used to them.”

Tennis fans in Paris baked in temperatures of 33°C at the French Open, with players battling through heat that Norway’s Casper Ruud said left him feeling “like a zombie”.

Overheated 

Scientists say human-driven climate change is amplifying such extremes, with weather events like heatwaves, droughts and floods becoming more intense and frequent.

Bob Ward, from the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at the London School of Economics, said changes in behaviour, homes and businesses were needed.

“We now have the climate of the Mediterranean countries in the summer but we don’t have the buildings and offices built for a Mediterranean climate,” he added, calling for action.

Swiss tourist Philippe Bignens, 56, visiting London with his father, told AFP they had to change plans and retreat to their hotel.

“If you’re not concerned about global warming, you must be deaf, blind altogether, right?” he said.

Deadly turn 

French authorities yesterday reported at least seven deaths linked to the heatwave — five of which were drownings, as many people sought relief at water spots, even though lifeguard supervision on beaches is not due to start in many areas until July.

Authorities in Britain said four teens had drowned in England since Sunday.

A record May temperature of 28.8°C was recorded at two of Ireland’s weather stations amid the current blast of heat, Met Eireann data showed.

Work affected 

Benjamin Boisson, a fruit grower in southern France, worried the extreme fluctuation in temperature would cause a sharp drop in production, as well as complicate storage.

Already, a previous warm weather spell forced him to harvest apricots five days earlier than planned this year, on May 1, he said.

“That may not seem like much, but it changes everything. The major retailers weren’t ready and are still selling Spanish apricots when they should have switched over to French ones,” he said.

Spain’s State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) also warned of “extraordinarily high temperatures for this time of year” that will continue all week.

“Widespread tropical nights” are also forecast in southwestern Spain from today, with temperatures peaking from today to Friday at between 36°C and 38°C, it wrote on X.

Farther east, Italy’s Lazio region, which includes Rome, on Monday approved rules limiting work in conditions “with prolonged exposure in the sun” between 12:30pm and 4pm.

In Austria, Vienna set up special misters to help passersby keep cool on the street.

Europe is the continent that has experienced the fastest warming since 1990, closely followed by Asia, with North America in third place, according to data from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. — AFP