Western Europe just went through its hottest June. Ever.
Western Europe experienced its hottest June on record, fueled by intense heatwaves and record-high sea temperatures in the western Mediterranean. The heatwaves, intensified by heat domes, led to extreme heat stress for millions and worsened air po...
By ET Online |
Reuters
Western Europe recorded its hottest June on record, with two intense heatwaves pushing temperatures across the region to extreme levels, according to the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service. The month featured back-to-back heat episodes between June 17–22 and June 30–July 2, with temperatures soaring above 40°C in parts of Spain and Portugal and reaching 46°C in some areas.
This June was globally the third warmest on record, continuing a trend driven by rising greenhouse gas emissions. The previous hottest Junes were in 2024 and 2023. According to Copernicus, Europe is warming several times faster than the global average. Millions of people across the continent experienced unusually high heat stress, with “feels-like” temperatures — factoring in humidity and wind — reaching up to 48°C in parts of Portugal.
Samantha Burgess, Strategic Lead for Climate at Copernicus, said the impact of the heatwaves was “exceptional,” made worse by record-high sea surface temperatures in the western Mediterranean. "In a warming world, heatwaves are likely to become more frequent, more intense and impact more people across Europe,” she said.
June 30 saw the highest daily sea temperature ever recorded in the western Mediterranean, at 27°C. Some areas saw sea temperatures 5°C above average. The unusually warm waters reduced overnight cooling, raised humidity, and placed further stress on marine ecosystems.
The heatwaves were intensified by persistent heat domes — high-pressure systems trapping warm air over the region — which also worsened air pollution and wildfire conditions. Countries like France, Italy, and regions in the Balkans recorded record surface temperatures, while parts of Western Europe experienced drier-than-average conditions.
Globally, around 790 million people across 12 countries saw record heat levels during the month, according to AFP's analysis of Copernicus data. Dangerous heat blanketed parts of the United States and China, where more than 100 weather stations reported record June temperatures above 40°C.
Extreme weather events were widespread. Wildfires impacted Canada and southern Europe, while floods caused fatalities in South Africa, China, and Pakistan. While parts of the world, including the southern U.S., China, and Brazil, saw wetter-than-average conditions, other regions — such as eastern Africa, parts of Asia, and southern South America — remained abnormally dry.
Copernicus reported that June was 1.3°C warmer than pre-industrial averages. It is among just three months in the last two years that remained below the 1.5°C global warming threshold. The 1.5°C target was set under the Paris Agreement to limit long-term warming, but scientists now warn that breaching it may happen by 2030 or earlier.
Despite the end of El Niño conditions, which contributed to earlier heat surges, global temperatures have remained at or near record highs. The data behind Copernicus’ findings are drawn from billions of measurements across satellites, weather stations, aircraft, and ships.
This June was globally the third warmest on record, continuing a trend driven by rising greenhouse gas emissions. The previous hottest Junes were in 2024 and 2023. According to Copernicus, Europe is warming several times faster than the global average. Millions of people across the continent experienced unusually high heat stress, with “feels-like” temperatures — factoring in humidity and wind — reaching up to 48°C in parts of Portugal.
Samantha Burgess, Strategic Lead for Climate at Copernicus, said the impact of the heatwaves was “exceptional,” made worse by record-high sea surface temperatures in the western Mediterranean. "In a warming world, heatwaves are likely to become more frequent, more intense and impact more people across Europe,” she said.
June 30 saw the highest daily sea temperature ever recorded in the western Mediterranean, at 27°C. Some areas saw sea temperatures 5°C above average. The unusually warm waters reduced overnight cooling, raised humidity, and placed further stress on marine ecosystems.
The heatwaves were intensified by persistent heat domes — high-pressure systems trapping warm air over the region — which also worsened air pollution and wildfire conditions. Countries like France, Italy, and regions in the Balkans recorded record surface temperatures, while parts of Western Europe experienced drier-than-average conditions.
Globally, around 790 million people across 12 countries saw record heat levels during the month, according to AFP's analysis of Copernicus data. Dangerous heat blanketed parts of the United States and China, where more than 100 weather stations reported record June temperatures above 40°C.
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Extreme weather events were widespread. Wildfires impacted Canada and southern Europe, while floods caused fatalities in South Africa, China, and Pakistan. While parts of the world, including the southern U.S., China, and Brazil, saw wetter-than-average conditions, other regions — such as eastern Africa, parts of Asia, and southern South America — remained abnormally dry.
Copernicus reported that June was 1.3°C warmer than pre-industrial averages. It is among just three months in the last two years that remained below the 1.5°C global warming threshold. The 1.5°C target was set under the Paris Agreement to limit long-term warming, but scientists now warn that breaching it may happen by 2030 or earlier.
Despite the end of El Niño conditions, which contributed to earlier heat surges, global temperatures have remained at or near record highs. The data behind Copernicus’ findings are drawn from billions of measurements across satellites, weather stations, aircraft, and ships.
Europe is currently experiencing an intense and widespread heatwave, with several countries seeing record-breaking temperatures and extreme weather alerts. In cities across the continent, authorities are racing to protect vulnerable groups and prevent heat-related emergencies.
The United Nations has warned that such heat is no longer an anomaly but has become “the new normal,” highlighting the growing impact of climate change.
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