France, Norway record hottest springs since 1901 amid climate concerns

France and Norway experienced their hottest springs on record this year, dating back to the start of meteorological measurements in 1901. In France, temperatures averaged 1.7 degrees Celsius above normal, while Norway saw an even greater deviation of 2.1 degrees Celsius.

Despite Norway not being hit by a major European heatwave in May, unusually warm conditions in March and April contributed to the record. Climate scientist Jostein Mamen dismissed explanations attributing these rapid climate shifts solely to natural factors. "The sun is far too stable to explain the rapid changes in climate we observe today," he stated, emphasizing that "these must be due to our emissions from burning fossil fuels."

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The sun is far too stable to explain the rapid changes in climate we observe today. These must be due to our emissions from burning fossil fuels.

Norway's previous warmest spring was in 2024, with temperatures 1.8 degrees Celsius above average. The spring of 2025 now ranks as the third warmest. The warming trend is particularly pronounced in northern regions, with Svalbard experiencing April temperatures 5 to 6 degrees Celsius above normal. The Arctic is warming at a much faster rate than mid-latitudes, a phenomenon linked to diminishing snow cover and ice volume.

France's meteorological service, Météo-France, reported its spring (March to May) as the warmest since 1900, with an average temperature of 13.8 degrees Celsius, surpassing previous records from 2011 and 2020. The country also endured an early and intense heatwave with unprecedented temperatures for the season. Globally, the UN forecasts that average temperatures between 2026 and 2030 will remain at record or near-record levels, increasing the risk of heat stress, drought, and extreme weather events.

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With an average temperature of 13.8°C, this spring of 2026 is the warmest ever recorded (an increase of +1.7°C), surpassing the years 2011 (+1.5°C) and 2020 (+1.3°C).