Severe Heatwave Grips Southern and Western Europe, Claims Seven Lives in France

A severe heatwave continues to grip southern and western Europe, with temperatures nearing 30°C in Andorra's lower parishes as the event persists into the weekend.

France has reported at least seven deaths linked to the heat, including a participant in a popular race in Maisons-Alfort near Paris who suffered a fatal heart attack, and several drownings in rivers and lakes. Peaks of 37°C were recorded in Hossegor near Biarritz, triggering orange and yellow alerts in around 20 departments—exceptional for late May. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu convened an emergency meeting to review public services' response. Sports competitions were suspended, and players at the Roland Garros tennis tournament required medical aid for heatstroke.

In the UK, 34.8°C at Kew Gardens shattered late-May records, well above typical averages of 14-20°C. The Met Office called the readings "unusual even for midsummer."

Andorra is also affected by the heat dome—a high-pressure system trapping warm air from northern Africa over western Europe, a pattern experts say is increasingly common. The Meteorological Service forecasts near-30°C maxima in Andorra la Vella on Friday, with Sant Julià de Lòria potentially reaching 32°C. Lower parishes will see the highest values, while elevations up to 2,200 metres have hit 22°C—unusually warm for the season. Showers could bring brief relief over the weekend. Màximes exceed the 75th percentile of historical norms but fall short of official heatwave thresholds, which require surpassing the 98th percentile for three days (around 32°C at the central station).

The anomaly spans six to ten degrees above average across much of Europe through next week, according to AR+I. Climatologist Robert Vautard and the Copernicus Climate Change Service link the event's intensity and early timing to climate change, with Europe warming faster than any other continent. They call for faster adaptation and CO₂ cuts.

Protecció Civil in Andorra urges checking on elderly or ill residents living alone at least daily, and dialling 112 or 116 for heatstroke symptoms while moving affected people to shade or cool areas.