Europe faces fifth heat wave of 2026 as temperatures hit 43C in parts of continent

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Europe braced for a fifth heat wave of 2026 as temperatures soared across the continent on Thursday, with forecasts of up to 43°C in parts of Western and Central Europe. France placed 80 departments on orange alert, while the UK government convened an emergency meeting in Downing Street as temperatures were expected to reach 38°C.
In Ireland, Met Éireann issued a yellow high temperature warning for Leinster and Tipperary, effective from 6 a.m. Wednesday to 6 a.m. Friday, with temperatures potentially hitting 30°C in some areas. Margaret Attridge, head of water operations at Uisce Éireann, said a nationwide hosepipe ban could be extended beyond its current Aug. 26 end date, depending on weather forecasts and soil moisture levels. She noted that recent rainfall in some regions had not significantly recharged lake and river sources .
Germany’s Rhine River, a critical commercial waterway, saw discharge drop to about 692 cubic meters per second, far below the seasonal average of 1,900 cubic meters per second, disrupting shipping and forcing vessels to carry lighter loads. In Romania, authorities used controlled explosions to clear rock from the Danube to redirect water toward the Cernavoda nuclear power plant, which relies on the river for cooling .
Spain’s AEMET meteorological agency warned of temperatures exceeding 40°C in parts of the interior, with Madrid under an orange alert for high temperatures between 12 p.m. and 9 p.m. The agency also forecast strong thunderstorms in the southeast, including the Murcia region .
In the Netherlands, 2026 has already broken the 1947 record for the most tropical days in a year, with 31 such days recorded so far. Amsterdam introduced a watering ban across large parts of the city to combat drought .
France’s Ecology Minister Monique Barbut estimated that the summer’s heat waves could cost the economy up to €15 billion, potentially shaving half a percentage point off 2026 growth .
The UK’s Royal College of Nursing reported temperatures above 30°C in hospital wards and care homes, with nurses collapsing due to extreme heat in buildings lacking air conditioning or even openable windows . UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham held an emergency government meeting on Wednesday in response to the drought and heat waves .
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