Holidaymakers planning trips to Portugal, Spain, and France are advised to monitor the weather closely as a significant early-summer heatwave sweeps through Western Europe. Meteorologists caution that some inland areas could experience temperatures reaching as high as 45°C under extreme circumstances.
The UK’s Met Office has verified the onset of a ‘European heatwave’ that will affect much of Western Europe. Temperatures are projected to surge starting from today, with the peak of the heatwave expected between June 22 and June 26.
Meteorologist Aidan McGivern, in a Met Office Deep Dive video, stated that temperatures around 40 degrees are likely in parts of Spain, France, and Italy, well above the typical mid-June averages.
Coastal regions are expected to be cooler due to the influence of sea temperatures, unlike inland locations that will face extreme highs in the range of high 30s to 41°C. The Met Office also highlighted the unusual nature of these temperatures for this time of the year, emphasizing the significant deviation from average temperatures across Spain and into France.
Weather forecast charts from the Met Office show temperatures potentially reaching 40°C, with a possibility for even higher peaks in specific hotspots. Reports from Portuguese news sources suggest the country may be on the brink of a severe heatwave, with temperatures anticipated to exceed 40°C and potentially reach 45°C in some inland areas.
There are growing concerns about the formation of a potent ‘heat dome’ over Western Europe, indicating the potential for a more intense and prolonged heatwave compared to the previous one between late May and early June.
Spain’s national weather agency, AEMET, has issued high-temperature warnings in various regions, with forecasts indicating highs of 38°C in parts of Seville and temperatures reaching 36°C in Barcelona, Tarragona, and Madrid.
AEMET forecasts a significant temperature rise over the weekend, with possibilities of recording some of the highest temperatures for this period. Similar forecasts in France by Météo-France suggest very high temperatures and ‘tropical nights,’ with temperatures not expected to drop below 25°C.
Temperatures ranging from 34°C to 38°C are predicted across France from Thursday to Sunday, with peaks of 40°C expected on Sunday in regions including Paris, the Rhône Valley, and Poitou-Charentes on the Atlantic coast. Météo-France climatologist Matthieu Sorel emphasized that this upcoming heatwave is one of the earliest on record.
