A severe early-summer heatwave is gripping large parts of western Europe, with national weather services in France, the United Kingdom and Germany forecasting temperatures far above seasonal norms. French meteorological services predict up to 41°C on Sunday, while British health authorities have issued amber alerts as the mercury is expected to hit 33°C, and Germany’s Deutscher Wetterdienst (DWD) warns of up to 38°C in western and southwestern regions.

In France, the episode is the 52nd heatwave recorded since 1947 and the 20th of the current decade, according to Météo-France. The peak is expected on Monday, when some southwestern areas could reach 43°C. The UK Health Security Agency placed amber heat health alerts across southern and eastern England from Thursday to Tuesday, signalling likely “significant impact” on health and care services; a yellow alert covers the Midlands. Germany’s DWD extended heat warnings to all federal states except some Baltic coastal areas, with extreme heat alerts for parts of North Rhine-Westphalia, Lower Saxony and Hesse.

Thunderstorms are forecast to accompany the heat in several regions. German forecasters warn of powerful storms developing from the central uplands, bringing heavy rain, hail and storm-force gusts that could exceed 100 km/h in Südbaden and Swabia. Train services between Hamburg and Bremen were disrupted on Friday morning due to storm damage. In the UK, meteorologists note that rising humidity will make conditions feel increasingly muggy, with a chance of thunderstorms later each day, though cloud cover may obscure sunshine. French reports focus primarily on the intensity and duration of the heat, without highlighting comparable storm risks.

Health agencies across the three countries have urged the public to stay hydrated, avoid the sun during the hottest hours, and check on elderly relatives and neighbours. No heat-related fatalities have been confirmed from this episode, but officials recall that sustained high temperatures can be deadly, particularly for older adults, young children and those with chronic illnesses. German social welfare organisations have called for cities to provide cooled shelters and public drinking fountains for homeless people. The heat is expected to begin easing from Tuesday in northern areas, though many regions will remain unusually warm, and national weather and health authorities continue to monitor the situation.