According to the weather agency, Tuesday's average daily temperature - which is based on data from 30 weather stations - will be 29.8 degrees Celsius, the highest on record since measurements began in 1947, AFP reports.
Healthcare systems in several European countries are preparing on Tuesday to handle an influx of patients who have fallen ill in the heat.
On Monday, the average daily temperature in France reached 29.2 degrees Celsius, which, according to preliminary data, broke the previous record from 2025. At 3 p.m. on Tuesday, the Eiffel Tower's operational management announced that the tourist attraction - which usually stays open until around midnight - would close at 4 p.m. due to the heat and that it is "very likely" that it will close earlier on Wednesday as well.
The Louvre will also close earlier Wednesday to Saturday, at 4 p.m. instead of 6 p.m., citing "the circumstances for staff and visitors during the hottest hours of the day," AFP reports.
The village of Châteaumeillant in the central parts of the country recorded a maximum of 43.3 degrees Celsius on Monday.
40 deaths
And the heat wave is not over. The number of red alerts has increased and covers more than half of the country on Tuesday, Le Figaro reports.
Since Thursday, 40 deaths by drowning have been reported, mainly among young people, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced.
Temperatures are expected to reach over 40 degrees Celsius in parts of France. In Nantes, 44 degrees Celsius is expected, according to weather channel La Chaîne Météo.
300 schools to close due to heat wave in UK
A very rare red weather warning has been issued in the UK. Temperatures could reach 40 degrees Celsius in some parts of the country, according to the UK's Met Office.
At least 300 British schools will remain partially or fully closed for the rest of the week due to the extreme heat. Train services will also be affected.
In Italy, 15 cities, including Milan and Rome, are under a red heat warning. Another Italian city is expected to be added to the list on Wednesday, AFP reports.
A red alert is the highest level of warning. At this level, Italian authorities advise people to eat lightly, stay indoors during the hottest part of the day, and cool off in cold water.
Almost all of Spain is also covered by various levels of heat warnings on Tuesday.
