India is currently experiencing an extreme heatwave. Most of the northern and central regions of the country have been suffering intense heat for more than 30 days, with temperatures in the capital New Delhi at times approaching 50C.

Many countries in continental Europe are forecast to experience heatwaves this week with temperatures reaching 40C in France, the higher than any on record for June. Last summer’s French heatwave resulted in 1,500 more deaths than normal in July and August.

Meteorologists in Germany said there was a chance of temperatures breaking the national record of 40.3C set in Bavaria in 2015.

The Guardian reports that

Scientists have said last year’s heatwave, which led to increased mortality rates, a dramatic decline in crop yields, the shutdown of nuclear power plants and wildfires inside the Arctic Circle, was linked to the climate emergency and that extreme climate events are likely to be regular occurrences in the coming decades.

Wikipedia’s Heat Wave page reports that in Australia December 2018 was recorded as the hottest December on record with constant record-breaking heatwaves while New South Wales had their warmest January since 2011. Adelaide recorded its hottest day on record on January 24, surpassing the previous record from 1939, reaching 46.6 °C and many settlements across South Australia setting new records the same day.

In late-May 2019 an unusually strong early-season heat wave affected the southeastern United States, breaking all-time May record high temperatures in several cities. Many locations also broke the record for the earliest-in-season 100 °F (38 °C) temperature.

Also in late-May, an early-season heat wave affected parts of Japan. The town of Saroma in Hokkaido reached 39.5 °C (103.1 °F), the highest May temperature ever recorded anywhere in Japan.