'It was 30°C in the classrooms this afternoon, it was very tough': France experiences its hottest day in May on record

Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.

Temperatures soared on Tuesday, reaching between 33 and 36°C (between 91 and nearly 97°F) across much of France, especially in the West, 10 to 15°C above seasonal norms. These are midsummer temperatures, even though summer has not yet begun.