On the British side, the year 2022 had begun with record temperatures on January 1, with more than 16 degrees registered in London. Every month of the year, with the exception of December, saw average temperatures above normal for the season, he added. In July, temperatures had exceeded 40 degrees for the first time in the UK (40.3 degrees recorded on July 20). It is the driest month on record for many parts of southern and eastern England, forcing authorities to introduce water restrictions in some places.

In some places, barely a drop fell in July. Due to a lack of coolness and rain, British parks, known for their stunning green all year round, sported fully toasted lawns this summer and many trees lost their leaves in August. The phenomenon has been called “false-autumn” with a passage of trees “in survival mode”according to London’s Horniman Museum and Gardens.

The multiplication of heat waves is a direct consequence of global warming according to scientists, with greenhouse gas emissions increasing in intensity, duration and frequency. In France, the year ending will also remain the warmest year ever recorded, Météo-France had indicated at the end of November.