France Groans Under Unusual Heat Dome

France is experiencing a weather pattern at the end of May that usually belongs to midsummer. A powerful so-called "heat dome" is currently spreading over large parts of the country, causing temperatures well above 30 degrees Celsius in many places. Especially affected are regions in the west, around Paris, as well as parts of the southwest and the Rhône Valley. Meteorologists describe it as an extraordinary situation. The heat dome functions like a huge lid in the sky: A stable high-pressure system traps the warm air that previously flowed from ...