Portugal has recorded its hottest May day on record as a brutal heatwave sweeps across southern Europe, prompting urgent travel warnings for British holidaymakers. Temperatures in the central city of Coimbra soared to 41.3 degrees Celsius on Thursday, eclipsing the previous national May record set in 2015. The scorching conditions are part of a broader pattern of extreme weather driven by the collapse of the jet stream, with meteorologists warning that the heat will intensify across Spain, France, and Italy in the coming days.
The Portuguese weather service has placed several districts under red alerts, including Lisbon and the Algarve, as temperatures exceed 40 degrees Celsius. The extreme heat is hitting as British tourists flock to the region for half-term breaks. For families on tight budgets, this is not just an inconvenience but a financial strain. Many are now facing the cost of emergency accommodation, bottled water, and last-minute cancellations.
The heatwave compounds the cost-of-living crisis for ordinary workers. In areas like the Algarve, hotel and restaurant staff are expected to continue labouring in sweltering conditions, often without adequate air conditioning. Trade unions in Portugal have already criticised employers for failing to implement heat-safe protocols, including mandatory breaks and access to drinking water. The British government's Foreign Office has updated its travel advice, urging tourists to stay hydrated, avoid direct sun between 11am and 4pm, and check on vulnerable companions.
Meanwhile, the Met Office warns that a mass of hot air from North Africa will push temperatures in southern Britain to 28 degrees Celsius this weekend, though that is small comfort compared to the furnace heating up southern Europe. The European heatwave is a stark reminder of the unequal impact of climate change. While wealthy tourists might retreat to air-conditioned villas, low-wage workers in tourism, agriculture, and construction bear the brunt. They face lost earnings from cancelled shifts or health risks from heatstroke and dehydration.
For the millions of Britons heading abroad this month, the message is clear: prepare for danger. But beyond the immediate health warnings, this story is about the real economy. The heatwave will push up food prices as crops wither, test the resilience of public services, and expose the gulf between those who can afford to escape the heat and those who must endure it. As we report, the human cost is measured in more than just degrees. It is measured in lost wages, burned harvests, and a growing sense that extreme weather is the new normal for working families across Europe.
