In Austria and Italy, the situation has become particularly severe. Austria recorded a temperature of 32.7°C on Monday, marking the hottest May day in more than 200 years. Meteorologists forecast that around 20 European countries will experience temperatures above 30°C this week.
Meanwhile, Italy has issued its first heatwave alert of the year. In Milan, temperatures are expected to reach 35.5°C on Wednesday, about 9°C higher than the long-term seasonal average.
France also recorded its hottest May 25 on record, with the national average temperature reaching 24.4°C, surpassing a record that had stood since 1944. A total of 352 monitoring stations reported record-breaking temperatures, including 37.1°C in the southwestern Landes region.
In the United Kingdom, temperatures at Kew Gardens in London reached 34.8°C, setting a new May record since data collection began in 1944.
European forecasters said the heatwave is expected to persist throughout the week, peaking on May 28–29 before gradually easing toward the weekend.
