Weather services in France and Austria are warning that a heat wave will arrive in the middle of the week, with temperatures climbing into the mid- to high-30s Celsius.
Météo-France, France's national weather service, said on Sunday that the country will enter a new spell of very hot weather from Wednesday. In a statement to the news agency AFP, forecaster Corentin Perrot said the heat could become the first official heat wave of 2026, with daytime highs of up to around 38°C in some cities and short, warm nights that will stop the air from cooling down. In Austria, the weather institute GeoSphere Austria expects temperatures of up to 35°C by Friday, with the strongest heat in cities.
Health services, weather institutes and local authorities are the people helping most right now. Météo-France and GeoSphere Austria are publishing detailed daily forecasts so schools, hospitals and cities can plan ahead. Volunteers and emergency services are also on standby, and cooling centres are usually opened in towns when temperatures get this high. Keep an eye on the official forecasts for your area and check on older relatives, neighbours and pets.