Heatwave scorches Europe from London to Madrid as temperatures near 39C

No Comment Video. Heatwave scorches Europe from London to Madrid as temperatures near 39C Copy/paste the link below: Copy/paste the article video embed link below: Updated: 25/06/2026 - 9:58 GMT+2 A powerful heatwave swept across Europe, stretching from France to Spain and Belgium and pushing temperatures towards 39C, raising concerns about public safety and pressure on infrastructure. In London, residents sought shade in parks and along the River Thames while transport operators warned of possible disruption to services. The Met Office said the heat could approach levels previously considered exceptional for June, prompting school closures across parts of England and Wales and renewed warnings for vulnerable people. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT In Belgium, the iconic Atomium in Brussels was temporarily closed after indoor temperatures became uncomfortably high during the heatwave, with the move taken as a precaution for visitor and staff safety. The closure affected one of the city’s best-known landmarks, which can retain heat inside its metal structure when temperatures soar. In Madrid, residents and tourists gathered at the city’s so-called “urban beach” to cool off in water fountains as temperatures remained unusually high, with the hot spell prompting many people to seek out shaded public spaces and other ways to cope with the heat. Meteorologists attributed the conditions to a persistent heat dome that trapped hot air over Western Europe, driving temperatures higher and prolonging the heatwave. Forecasters warned that further rises were possible before any relief arrived, while millions of people across the continent were placed under heat alerts and public health measures. Extreme weather Heatwave London Brussels Madrid Global warming and climate change Top stories Now playing Next Heatwave scorches Europe from London to Madrid as temperatures near 39C Now playing Next Moment earthquake hits Venezuela, sending people fleeing in panic Now playing Next Mumbai monsoon floods streets and disrupts travel Now playing Next Latest news bulletin | June 25th, 2026 – Morning Now playing Next At least 32 killed and 700 injured in powerful Venezuela earthquakes Now playing Next Catholics walk barefoot in mud ritual Now playing Next Latest news bulletin | June 24th, 2026 – Evening Now playing Next SpaceX sheds $600 billion in three days and turns to the bond market Now playing Next Japan's emperor and empress arrive in Belgium for state visit Now playing Next €2bn wasted? Germany scraps world’s largest frigate project Now playing Next EU officials meet Taliban in Brussels to speed up Afghan deportations Now playing Next Can you turn your garden fence into a mini solar farm? Now playing Next Europe Today: Ukraine seeks defence, energy deals in Poland as Macron meets Meloni in France Now playing Next Global Beatles Day: Who was the walrus? Now playing Next Has Brexit made Europe stronger or weaker? MEPs go face-to-face on The Ring Now playing Next Special Report: Brexit, ten years on: could the UK ever rejoin the EU? ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT No Comment Portugal's World Cup victory sparks celebrations in Lisbon No Comment First whales killed as Iceland restarts commercial hunt No Comment Giesinger celebrates Munich beer culture, pushes for Oktoberfest place No Comment Seal at Hungarian zoo brushes teeth Earth News Tourists disappointed as Eiffel Tower closes amid heatwave Iran Tehran labels framework deal 'US defeat' as Trump threatens to halt talks Europe News EU scales back Ukraine's accession timetable due to Hungarian resistance Make it Work 'It will be easy to employ me' - Portugal pushes vocational training to fill skills gap Modern Nomads Pearls of the Tian Shan: Exploring the natural wonders of Kolsai Lakes National Park Grand Voyager Grand Voyager | Exploring Nairobi Europe News Didier Deschamps to miss France's match against Norway following the death of his mother The Cube Meloni-Trump spat: What do the polls say about Meloni's popularity? ADVERTISEMENT Climate Red heatwave alerts spread across Europe with hottest day ever in France and 40 deaths from drowning Europe News Heatwave and wildfire alerts, power cuts in Finistère: France swelters Kazakhstan Kazakhstan signs €10bn in deals with Europe as Tokayev wraps Brussels visit Business Rheinmetall sinks as Germany axes mega-warship project after spending €2.3bn Europe News Pedro Sánchez tells Congress: 'I never knew of, nor would I have tolerated, any of these practices' No Comment Dead tree painted red to highlight climate change impact Europe Today Iran stronger after conflict, warns former Iran negotiator Wendy Sherman Europe in Motion Europeans want less dependence on foreign technologies, study finds ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT