These high temperatures have occurred unusually early, with this event likely to be one of the most severe before the summer solstice. It follows the warmest May on record for France and hottest for Spain in at least 100 years. The extreme heat developed after a plume of hot air travelled north from north Africa as a result of high pressure across the Mediterranean. The high pressure system intensified across south-west Europe as the week progressed, causing temperatures to rise further, aided by dry soils. The next day, for the first time in 2022 in France, temperatures exceeded 40C in the commune of Argelliers.

Source: The North Africa Journal June 17, 2022 18:41 UTC