There’s a deadly heat wave in Europe: Experts are begging media outlets to stop making it look fun

Across Europe, a record-breaking heat wave has led to “red weather warnings,” thousands of school closures, and already multiple deaths. But alongside some news articles about this extreme heat are images of crowded beaches and people frolicking in fountains or lounging in parks. Those pictures fail to convey the danger of heat waves, climate experts say—and even risk influencing people not to take extreme heat seriously. Screenshots taken from various outlets on June 22, 2026. [Screenshots: FC] How hot is this European heat wave? Multiple European countries are under high heat warnings, from Britain to Germany to Portugal. Temperatures could reach as high as 104 degrees Fahrenheit, or 40 degrees Celsius, in parts of France, Spain, and the United Kingdom, in particular. Those aren’t just one-day peaks, experts warn; temperatures could stay that high for many days in a row. Humidity is expected to be intense as well, which “could lead to some of the most dangerously high heat indexes several countries have ever recorded,” according to Bob Henson, a meteorologist writing for Yale Climate Connections. That moisture in the air means that there isn’t much relief at night; the U.K.’s Met Office warned of “tropical” nights where the temperature never dips below 20 degrees Celsius, or 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Across Europe, a majority of homes still lack air conditioning, making warm night weather a health risk. This relentless heat wave threatens “population-wide adverse health effects,” according to the red weather warning British officials declared through Thursday, June 25—including “serious illness or danger to life.” Journalists photograph and film the entrance of a house where two children were found dead in their family vehicle amid a heat wave, in Carpentras, southern France, on June 22, 2026. [Photo: Miguel Medina/AFP/Getty Images] Dangers of extreme heat There have been multiple deaths already in this June heat wave. Thirteen people drowned across France over the w