Europe has experienced an exceptional heatwave this week, with temperature records broken across multiple countries under a persistent area of high pressure, commonly referred to as a “heat dome.” The UK surpassed its May maximum temperature record on Tuesday, with 35.1C recorded at Kew Gardens, London.
This broke the record set only the day before, with 34.8C recorded in London on Monday. Previously, the maximum May temperature record was 32.8C, recorded in 1922 and then matched in 1944. Ireland also broke its May maximum temperature, with 28.8C recorded at two weather stations – in Killarney in the south-west and Clonmel in the south.
Not only have maximum temperatures been smashed; night-time minimums have also been at record highs. Overnight on Tuesday, Camborne in south-west England dropped only to 21.4C, marking another tropical night in which temperatures remained above 20C.
Similarly, temperatures across France reached 36C on Monday and Tuesday, the hottest May days on record. A French government spokesperson said the heat had this week been responsible for the deaths of seven people, either directly or indirectly.
These temperatures across parts of Europe are around 10-15C above average for this time of year. Temperatures will continue to remain around 5-10C above average through the rest of this week but will gradually begin to moderate for the UK into next week.
Severe thunderstorm warnings have been in effect across south-eastern and eastern Australia this week, with warnings continuing into Friday. The warnings, issued by the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM), said to expect damaging winds, heavy rainfall and hail, with separate flash flood warnings also in place. Dayboro in Queensland had already recorded 50mm within a 30-minute period, while Narrabi, New South Wales recorded a wind gust of 65mph (104kph), both on Wednesday.
The BoM has said that six-hourly rainfall totals could reach 40-70mm, with locally perhaps closer to 100mm for Mid North Coast, Upper Hunter and adjacent districts in New South Wales by the end of the week.