Seven deaths were linked to exceptionally high temperatures in France after the country recorded its hottest May day since national observations began, with a national average temperature of 24.4°C (75.9°F) on May 25, 2026.
A woman was killed after her SUV was swept away by floodwaters in Petal, Mississippi, as severe storms triggered widespread flooding across Forrest and Lamar counties on May 25, 2026. Up to 152 mm (6 inches) of rain fell over parts of southern Mississippi, with floodwaters rising up to 3.7 m (12 feet) in Petal at the storm’s peak.
A strong earthquake registered by the USGS as M6.7 hit Antofagasta, Chile, at 21:52 UTC (17:52 LT) on May 25, 2026. The agency is reporting a depth of 119.7 km (74.4 miles). EMSC is reporting M6.8 at a depth of 103 km (64 miles).
The National Weather Service (NWS) warned that repeated thunderstorms capable of producing torrential rainfall may trigger flash flooding across parts of the Southeast and Gulf Coast this week, starting on May 25, 2026.
A historic heatwave intensified across the UK on May 25, with 13 locations provisionally breaking the country’s all-time May temperature record. Kew Gardens reached 34.8°C (94.6°F), surpassing the previous record of 32.8°C (91.0°F), while temperatures above 30°C (86°F) expanded across large parts of England. Forecasts show the heat persisting into May 26, with London potentially reaching 35°C (95°F).
Deadly floods triggered by an intense overnight rainstorm killed at least nine people and left 11 missing in Chongqing Municipality, China, after nearly 300 mm (11.7 inches) of rain fell within two hours in parts of Yongchuan District.
The United Kingdom could record its hottest May day in Met Office records on Monday, May 25, with highs forecast to reach 35°C (95°F). Unusually warm overnight conditions have already set a provisional national daily minimum-temperature record for the month of May.
More than 220 earthquakes have been recorded near Reykjanestá and Eldey, Iceland, since May 23, 2026, with the largest measuring M3.5 at 05:06 UTC on May 24.
A 40-year-old firefighter lost his life after a sudden medical emergency while battling a wildfire in Moschelle in Annapolis County on May 21, 2026.
The Northern Tornadoes Project confirmed Saskatchewan’s first tornado of 2026 after an EF0 landspout touched down near Disley, west of Regina, on May 22, while additional surveys in Ontario and Alberta raised Canada’s confirmed tornado count to 11 this year.
