The Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI) placed much of the Netherlands under its first-ever Code Red warning for extreme heat on Friday after forecasting oppressive conditions, heat stress levels of 9 to 10 and temperatures reaching up to 40°C (104°F) in isolated locations.
Multiple countries across Europe established new June temperature records this week as an exceptional heatwave continued to intensify, pushing temperatures above 40°C (104°F) across large parts of the continent. In France, authorities said at least 55 people had drowned while attempting to cool off during the prolonged heatwave, as hospitals, emergency services, and governments struggled to respond to its escalating impacts, while Spain reported at least 212 heat-related fatalities from June 21 to 24.
Temperatures reached 36.7°C (98.1°F) at Merryfield, Somerset, on June 25, 2026, provisionally making it the hottest June day on record in the United Kingdom, according to the UK Met Office. The agency also reported new provisional June records in Wales and record-equalling heat in Northern Ireland.
The UK Met Office has issued a Red Warning for Extreme Heat for Friday, June 26, 2026, marking the first time in the history of the current weather warnings system that red warnings have been issued for extreme heat for three consecutive days.
Spain’s public mortality-monitoring system (MoMo) estimated that high temperatures were linked to 212 deaths between June 21 and 24, as the country’s first official heat wave of 2026 brought temperatures near 40°C (104°F) and higher across large areas.
Extreme heat continued to spread across Europe on June 24, 2026, prompting widespread red alerts and health warnings across Europe. The prolonged heatwave driven by a strong upper-level ridge is affecting much of Western, Central, and Southern Europe, with temperatures forecast to remain 3 to 10°C (5.4 to 18°F) above seasonal averages and locally exceed 40°C (104°F) through the end of June.
Major to Extreme HeatRisk is forecast across large portions of the Southern Plains and Southeast on June 27–28, 2026, as hot and humid conditions expand across the southern United States. The dangerous heat is expected to persist into the week of June 29 across much of the Plains and Southeast while expanding into parts of the Mid-Atlantic.
At least 40 people have drowned in France since June 18, 2026, while seeking relief from an exceptional heatwave that has pushed temperatures to record levels across much of the country.
Multiple heat advisories were issued across portions of California, Oregon, Washington, and Nevada on June 15, 2026. Temperatures are forecast to exceed 40°C (104°F) and could reach up to 44.4°C (112°F) in Trinity County, California.
Dangerous heat is expected across much of the central United States on June 9, 2026, with multiple National Weather Service offices warning that heat index values will reach 38 to 42°C (100 to 108°F) during the afternoon and evening. Heat Advisories remain in effect across Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi, Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, with the most dangerous conditions forecast across the Mid-South.
