France Shatters May Temperature Records in Earliest-Ever Heatwave

France recorded its hottest May day since modern measurements began on May 26, 2026, with the national average temperature reaching 24.9°C — shattering the previous May record. More than 900 May temperature records were broken in a single week. Météo-France placed 17 departments on orange heatwave alert on May 28, with highs of 38–39°C in the southwest, including the Gironde and Hérault regions. At least seven deaths were linked to the heat event. Climate scientists noted the 'heat dome' arrived more than six weeks earlier than France's typical summer canicule period, consistent with projections of earlier and more intense heatwaves under climate change.