Hottest day of the year in the UK

France is under heatwave warning, London hits 33C.

Beside the Thames, London - postcard style
Beside the Thames on a hot day, London - postcard style [Niklas Halle''n / AFP]

Western Europe is in the middle of a brief but intense heatwave.

The town of Orense in Galicia in northwestern Spain was less than one degree Celsius from breaking its temperature record on Monday. At 41.7C it was more than 11 degrees above normal. Spain’s capital city, Madrid, was six degrees above average att 38C.

Spain’s national weather agency, Aemet, has put 38 provinces on alert for high temperatures, 13 of which are at “high risk”. Temperatures are forecast to reach the high 30s in Galicia, Cantabria and the Basque Country. Central Spain, including the capital, Madrid, faces temperatures of over 40C.

Heat has been building in Spain and spreading up the western side of Europe. The French Riviera is sweltering in the mid thirties, more than 10 degrees above average. Paris hit 37C on Monday, 12C above average.

The French Weather Service, Meteo France, has issued a severe weather warning for western and central parts of the country. Météo France said the heatwave would bring “short but very severe periods of heat, requiring particular vigilance”.

The English Channel has been no bar to the heat invasion. London was the hottest place in the United Kingdom on Monday at 30C on what was the hottest day of the year so far.

Tuesday was hotter still throughout the UK and London reached 33C, but the inevitable end to a British summer will arrive just as quickly; thunderstorms are expected to bring in cooler weather before the end of the week.

Source: Al Jazeera