Western Europe records hottest June and July ever

Western Europe endured its hottest June and July on record, as the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service reported average temperatures of 21.62 degrees Celsius (70.92 Fahrenheit) for the two-month period. This surpassed the previous record set in 2022.

Copernicus attributed the record heat to the "exceptional persistence" of high-pressure systems that trapped heat over the region, leading to four heatwaves since May. The extreme temperatures exacerbated a prolonged drought, fueled major wildfires, and contributed to thousands of projected heat-related deaths. National temperature records were shattered across the continent.

While Western Europe sweltered, conditions varied. Eastern Europe and Scandinavia experienced cooler weather, and July's average temperature for Europe as a whole was only the 11th warmest on record. However, large parts of the continent, including Spain, France, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Ireland, and Iceland, faced drier-than-average conditions in July. Soil moisture levels were significantly lower than in the previous year's severe drought.

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Persistent high-pressure systems trapped heat over western Europe, the extreme temperatures also amplified widespread drought.

Samantha Burgess, strategic lead for climate at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, highlighted the reinforcing cycle of heat and drought. "As soils dry out, they lose their ability to provide natural cooling, allowing heat to build more readily," she explained. "This is a clear example of how climate change is intensifying heat extremes, with heat and drought increasingly reinforcing one another."

Low river flows in waterways like the Seine, Rhine, and Danube disrupted transport, irrigation, and energy production. The heightened risk of wildfires led to severe blazes in France and Spain, among other European nations. Globally, July also saw record-high sea surface temperatures outside polar regions, reaching 20.96 degrees Celsius, with a developing El Niño contributing to the rise.

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As soils dry out, they lose their ability to provide natural cooling, allowing heat to build more readily. This is a clear example of how climate change is intensifying heat extremes, with heat and drought increasingly reinforcing one another.