Breaking Loading... → Read

BBC Headlines • May 28, 2026 23:55

Are 'heat spikes' becoming more common?

Political Leaning Analysis

Left Center Right

Score: 0.00 • Center / Neutral

The heatwave that has gripped much of England and Wales this week brought with it record May temperatures. But it has also been exceptional for how quickly it developed as Simon King explains.

Story Timeline

Sat 13:07 - Aftenposten (NO)

Heat wave in Europe - records may be broken

Sun 00:54 - BBC Headlines

Heatwave likely to be confirmed as record-breaking temperatures forecast

Mon 00:18 - BBC Headlines

UK braces for hottest May day on record as 30C heat continues

Mon 08:53 - Politico EU

Europe sweats as ‘heat dome’ causes record May temperatures

Mon 10:53 - France 24

Runners collapse as temperatures soar across France

Tue 08:10 - DW

Unseasonal May heat wave grips Europe

Tue 08:10 - DW World

Unseasonal May heat wave grips Europe

Tue 13:52 - NYT Europe

UK Heat Wave Could Break May Temperature Record

Tue 14:16 - Euronews

Britons flock to beaches and pools as UK breaks May heat record

Tue 15:34 - France 24

'Heat dome': Heatwave conditions hit France and parts of Europe

Tue 15:39 - Al-Monitor

Between heat and war, Saudi Arabia seeks incident-free Hajj

Tue 16:32 - Le Figaro

LIVE - Heatwave: a new heat record for the month of May broken this Tuesday

Tue 16:46 - BBC Headlines

Paris 'punishingly hot' as Western Europe hit by heatwave

Tue 16:49 - NYT Europe

A Spring Heat Wave is Breaking Records in the U.K., Spain and France

Tue 16:52 - Financial Times

UK and Europe shatter heat records in ‘mind-boggling’ May

Tue 18:13 - France 24

Why is Europe heating up faster than the rest of the world?

Wed 00:30 - France 24

Temperatures soar across Europe as 'heat dome' drives May records

Wed 03:40 - BBC Headlines

How long will the heatwave last?

Wed 04:35 - Le Figaro

LIVE - Heatwave: France is suffocating under the “heat dome”, 13 departments on orange alert and speed reduced in Île-de-France

Wed 10:14 - Euronews

The heatwave affecting Europe is 'unprecedented and historic'

Wed 19:49 - France 24

Hotter than July: Can electrification save humanity from soaring heat?

Thu 05:57 - Euronews

Europe Today: International Energy Agency warns of biggest energy security crisis in modern history

Thu 06:28 - Euronews

Ireland records 30C while Portugal nears 37C in May heat

Thu 07:18 - Euronews

Heat dome turns May into August in Spain as temperatures near 40C

Thu 23:55 - BBC Headlines

Are 'heat spikes' becoming more common?

Different Perspectives

Aftenposten (NO)

1 article

▼

13:07

Heat wave in Europe - records may be broken

I Europa er det temperaturer over 30 grader i pinsehelgen, men Norge får dessverre ingen glede av varmen.

Al-Monitor

1 article

▼

15:39

Between heat and war, Saudi Arabia seeks incident-free Hajj

Mecca's temperature reached a high of 105 degrees Fahrenheit (40.5 degrees Celsius) on Tuesday and is expected to hit 108 degrees Fahrenheit (42 Celsius) on Wednesday.

BBC Headlines

4 articles

▼

03:40

How long will the heatwave last?

Following a day of record breaking bank holiday heat, heatwave conditions continue for many. Simon King looks at how many more days of heat you can expect.

16:46

Paris 'punishingly hot' as Western Europe hit by heatwave

Hugh Schofield reports from Paris as a heat dome settled over Western Europe bringing temperatures above the average for May.

00:18

UK braces for hottest May day on record as 30C heat continues

Temperatures are forecast to reach as high as 34C, after eight England regions entered heatwave conditions on Sunday.

00:54

Heatwave likely to be confirmed as record-breaking temperatures forecast

The soaring temperatures could lead to new national May temperature records being set on bank holiday Monday.

DW

1 article

▼

08:10

Unseasonal May heat wave grips Europe

The UK and France have registered record May temperatures as western Europe swelters under a "heat dome." Such extremes are occurring more often as the planet warms.

DW World

1 article

▼

08:10

Unseasonal May heat wave grips Europe

The UK and France have registered record May temperatures as western Europe swelters under a "heat dome." Such extremes are occurring more often as the planet warms.

Euronews

5 articles

▼

07:18

Heat dome turns May into August in Spain as temperatures near 40C

An anticyclonic ridge from North Africa traps hot air over western Europe. Badajoz hits 38°C, Santander keeps breaking records, France counts its dead. This is no blip but the new …

06:28

Ireland records 30C while Portugal nears 37C in May heat

A record May heatwave sent Irish temperatures above 30C and Portugal’s to 37C, drawing crowds outdoors and renewing worries over climate change.

05:57

Europe Today: International Energy Agency warns of biggest energy security crisis in modern history

The International Energy Agency is warning the world is “facing the biggest energy security crisis in modern history” as the shutdown in the Strait of Hormuz continues to rattle the …

10:14

The heatwave affecting Europe is 'unprecedented and historic'

Temperature reached 35°C near London and could hit 39°C in some areas of France.

14:16

Britons flock to beaches and pools as UK breaks May heat record

Crowds packed beaches, rivers and outdoor pools across the UK as temperatures reached a record 33.5C during an unusually early heatwave, prompting health warnings and concerns over drought and crop …

Financial Times

1 article

▼

16:52

UK and Europe shatter heat records in ‘mind-boggling’ May

Peak temperature of 35C in London breaches previous historical monthly high by more than 2C

France 24

5 articles

▼

19:49

Hotter than July: Can electrification save humanity from soaring heat?

Europe's in meltdown... and it's not even June yet. A not-so merry month of May as record highs explode under a heat dome that’s drifted north from the Sahara. After …

00:30

Temperatures soar across Europe as 'heat dome' drives May records

A “heat dome” is driving unusually high temperatures across Europe, pushing readings well above seasonal norms. The UK and France have already set May records, while Spain and Italy are …

18:13

Why is Europe heating up faster than the rest of the world?

Why is Europe warming faster than other parts of the world? The continent is currently in the grip of an early-season heatwave, with record May temperatures driven by a “heat …

15:34

'Heat dome': Heatwave conditions hit France and parts of Europe

🌡️ #France and the #UK on Monday experienced their hottest day in the month of May on record, the countries' weather agencies said, warning that Tuesday may be even warmer. …

10:53

Runners collapse as temperatures soar across France

An unusually early heatwave has pushed temperatures above 30°C across France, leading to multiple medical emergencies during running events. In suburbs of Paris and other cities, dozens of participants collapsed, …

Le Figaro

2 articles

▼

04:35

LIVE - Heatwave: France is suffocating under the “heat dome”, 13 departments on orange alert and speed reduced in Île-de-France

Météo-France a relevé mardi un nouveau record de température à l’échelle du pays pour un mois de mai avec un indicateur thermique national à 24,8°C. Mercredi, le mercure doit grimper …

16:32

LIVE - Heatwave: a new heat record for the month of May broken this Tuesday

L’indicateur thermique national, qui mesure la température moyenne à l’échelle du pays, a atteint 24,8°C, selon les relevés provisoires à 17 heures du prévisionniste national. Lundi, il était de 24,6°C, …

NYT Europe

2 articles

▼

16:49

A Spring Heat Wave is Breaking Records in the U.K., Spain and France

Authorities in Britain and France warned that “unprecedented” temperatures — at a time when few expected them — could persist. Climate change has made heat waves more frequent and more …

13:52

UK Heat Wave Could Break May Temperature Record

Forecasters warned that temperatures could climb to the highest level ever recorded in the month of May, reaching 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) in some areas of England.

Politico EU

1 article

▼

08:53

Europe sweats as ‘heat dome’ causes record May temperatures

Climate change is causing earlier and more intense heatwaves, France's weather agency said.