The summer heat waves in Western Europe shattered the average temperature record for the June-July period initially set in 2022. This was reported by the European climate agency, Copernicus.
The intense heat began in May, causing significant wildfires, extended droughts, and new national temperature records. These events contributed to thousands of anticipated heat-related fatalities in the region.
Globally, this year ranks as the third-hottest, following 2024 and 2025, according to climate statistics. However, there remains a possibility for 2026 to become the hottest year by December. Human-driven global warming combined with an intensified El Niño increases this likelihood.
Last month, July witnessed an unprecedented average sea surface temperature across non-polar oceans. Copernicus attributed this rise partially to developing El Niño conditions in the equatorial Pacific. The July record reached 20.96°C (69.73°F), surpassing the 2023 record of 20.89°C (69.60°F).
In terms of global surface air temperature, July had an average of 16.90°C (62.42°F), ranking as the joint second warmest July on record, alongside July 2024.
In Western Europe, the average temperature for the June-July period rose to 21.62°C (70.92°F), according to Copernicus.
Persistent high-pressure systems trapped heat over Western Europe, with extreme temperatures exacerbating widespread drought. As soils dry, they lose their natural cooling ability, allowing heat to accumulate more easily, explained Samantha Burgess, strategic lead for climate at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts.
This demonstrates how climate change is intensifying heat extremes, with heat and drought increasingly reinforcing one another,
Burgess added.