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Record-breaking heat has been sweeping southern and central Spain, Portugal and southern parts of France this week, with some areas soaring to the mid- to high 30s celsius.
On Wednesday, Amareleja in Portugal climbed to 39.5C (103.1F) – the joint-highest May temperature recorded. El Granado in Spain, hit 39.1C, while Canet-en-Roussillon in France peaked at 32.3C.
Parts of Portugal had been forecast to reach 40C on Thursday but it is unclear whether this temperature was reached. It would be the hottest temperature to be recorded so early in the year in the country.
The hot weather is expected to continue into next week as high pressure settles across much of Europe. Temperatures on Friday and at the weekend are likely to reach 37C in Madrid and exceed 40C in Seville. Paris is also expected to top 30C by Saturday.
The high temperatures, amid the worst drought in decades, have raised concerns among farmers in parts of northern Europe as unusually dry weather this spring has delayed crops such as wheat and corn.
Europe is not the only region experiencing an early taste of summer. After several days of persistent colder than normal weather, record heat has returned to Canada.
On Wednesday, 35.9C was recorded in Ashcroft and Kamloops in British Columbia, with 35.2C in Lytton. Temperatures again climbed to the mid-30s in British Columbia on Thursday, with provisionally record-breaking warmth expected on Friday across the Northwest Territories, where the spring provincial record is under threat.
Meanwhile, another active Atlantic hurricane season has been forecast. The period, which runs from June to November, is expected to be busier than normal, with between six and 10 hurricanes expected, up to five of which could be major category 3 or above storms, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Last year, 11 hurricanes developed during the season, five of which were classified as major.
Sea surface temperatures are higher than normal across much of the tropical Atlantic – and are expected to remain so over the coming months. Additionally, a weak La Niña or El Niño southern oscillation neutral conditions are favoured by forecast models through the summer. These are likely to promote the development of tropical storms.
However, the start of the season is expected to be quiet, with longer-range forecast models showing a low risk of storm development over the next 10 days. However, there are signs activity could increase from mid-June.
