France recorded its warmest spring since 1900, with an average temperature of 13.8°C, surpassing previous highs set in 2011 and 2020 [1, 2, 3]. A heat wave struck southwestern France in late May, pushing temperatures up to 37.8°C and setting a national average of 24.9°C on May 26, the highest May temperature ever recorded [2, 3]. Meteo-France said, "With an average temperature of 13.8C, spring 2026 is the warmest ever recorded" [3]. The heat wave was driven by a "heat dome" of warm air from North Africa moving across western Europe [1, 2, 3]. Combined with insufficient rainfall, the heat caused significant soil drying and increased drought risk [1, 2].
Norway also experienced its warmest spring on record since 1901, with average temperatures 2.1°C above normal [4, 5, 6]. This exceeded the previous highest anomaly of +1.8°C set in 2024; 2025 had been the second warmest before 2026 [4, 5, 6]. The unusually warm spring resulted mainly from high temperatures in March and April, while Norway largely escaped the May heat wave affecting western Europe [4, 5, 6]. On April 30, Norway saw a rare spring temperature of 26.5°C [5]. The Arctic Svalbard archipelago experienced even greater anomalies, with April temperatures 5 to 6°C above normal, linked to Arctic amplification effects [4, 6].
Experts attribute the rapid warming trends primarily to fossil fuel emissions rather than solar activity. Norwegian climate researcher Jostein Mamen said, "The sun is too stable" to explain the rapid climate changes; fossil fuel emissions are causing warming [4, 5]. A Norwegian climate expert added in Mandarin, "太阳过于稳定，无法解释当今气候的快速变化。这必定是由我们排放的化石燃料造成的" [4].
The United Nations predicts global temperatures will remain near historic highs over the next five years, increasing risks of heat stress, drought, floods, and extreme weather worldwide [4, 6].
