Lisbon: Portugal set a new record for the hottest day in May in history, with temperatures soaring to 40.3 degrees Celsius in the central city of Mora, amid a severe heatwave sweeping across Western Europe. The Portuguese Institute of Marine and Atmospheric Studies (IPMA) stated that the 40.3 degrees Celsius recorded in Mora on Wednesday (May 27) completely broke the record for the hottest May day in Portuguese history. The previous record was 40.0 degrees Celsius, set in Pinho in 1953 and Termas de Montfortillo in 2001. The IPMA added that this heatwave began on May 20, largely due to extreme weather in the Alentajo region and the Tagus River basin, where water levels had receded to reveal prominent sandbars in some areas.

According to Thai News Agency, more than 20 weather stations across Portugal reported record high temperatures for May this week, marking one of the most severe and intense May heatwaves ever recorded in the country. Warnings were issued that the extreme heat was likely to last until early June.

This heatwave is caused by a "heat dome" phenomenon, a mass of high pressure that is still and traps heat underneath, affecting a wide area. France experienced unprecedented temperatures in May, with some areas recording indoor temperatures as high as 53 degrees Celsius, forcing temporary school closures. The French Open tennis tournament in Paris was also severely impacted, with several athletes suffering from dizziness and dehydration. Similarly, Italy issued a red alert for the first time this year in several major cities, including Rome, Florence, Bologna, Brescia, and Turin, to monitor public health. Meanwhile, Spain, Portugal's neighbor on the Iberian Peninsula, predicted temperatures in Madrid to reach 35 degrees Celsius over the weekend, a level typical of July or August, the peak summer months.

According to data from the Copernicus Climate Change Service, Europe's average temperature is rising by 0.56 degrees Celsius every 10 years, which is twice the global average, meaning that extreme heat events like this are occurring earlier and more severely each year.