The worst heat was felt in southern Europe, while punishing temperatures were forecast to reach 104 degrees Fahrenheit in Paris and remain unusually high in Belgium and the Netherlands.

As a heat wave scorches most of Europe, the Eiffel Tower announced it will be closing early on Tuesday as Paris is expected to hit triple-digit temperatures.

France and the rest of Europe were still in the grips of the first major heat wave this summer with health warnings in effect Tuesday, even as conditions began to improve in some parts of the region.