A burst of unusual May heat is sweeping across Europe, sending temperatures to record levels in the United Kingdom and raising renewed safety concerns in France after two people died during amateur sports events.
France and the U.K. were among the countries contending with unusually high temperatures at the start of the week, and forecasters warned that the heat could persist for days, the Associated Press reported.
In France, Meteo France said May temperature records were falling, with many areas rising above 30 degrees Celsius, or 86 degrees Fahrenheit. The dangers of the heat came into especially sharp focus after a runner died in Paris during a race Sunday. Local outlet Actu Lyon reported that a woman died in Lyon after suffering heat stroke during a separate sports event Sunday.
The U.K. also set a new benchmark Monday for its hottest May temperature on record. Kew Gardens in southwest London reached 34.8 C, or 94.6 F, surpassing the previous May records of 32.8 C (91.4 F) from 1922 and 1944.
Officials issued public warnings as crowds headed to beaches and parks in search of relief. The U.K. Health Security Agency issued its first amber health alert this year, warning that fatalities could increase, especially for older people during the peak heat of the day.
In France, officials are calling for greater care around sports.
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"The events that occurred today (Sunday) during running races are a reminder that practicing sports in extreme heat requires absolute vigilance," the French sports minister, Marina Ferrari, said in a post on X, according to the AP. "My thoughts are with the family and loved ones of the runner who died in Paris, as well as with the people who were treated by emergency services."
Experts have warned that as the planet warms, abnormal and deadly weather extremes are happening more often, in more places, and at more unusual times of year.
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