Western Europe's hottest June-July on record fuels climate change concerns

Western Europe endured its hottest June-July on record, a stark indicator of climate change fueling an extreme summer of heat, drought, and wildfires across the region, the EU's global warming monitor reported. Europe, the continent warming fastest globally, has been hit by consecutive heatwaves and bone-dry conditions.

The Copernicus Climate Change Service recorded a combined average temperature of 21.62C for western Europe in June-July, surpassing the previous record set in 2022. This reflects the "exceptional persistence of heat" this summer, the service noted. Soil moisture levels are "significantly lower" than in July 2022, when western Europe last experienced a severe drought.

"This is a clear example of how climate change is intensifying heat extremes, with heat and drought increasingly reinforcing one another," said Samantha Burgess from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, which operates Copernicus. France and Spain have battled their worst infernos in living memory this summer, while other nations, along with parts of the US and Canada, have also seen serious blazes.

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This is a clear example of how climate change is intensifying heat extremes, with heat and drought increasingly reinforcing one another.

Very dry conditions were observed in July across western and central European nations, including Ireland, France, Spain, Austria, Hungary, the United Kingdom, and parts of Iceland. River flows were unusually low, with the Seine, Rhine, and Danube particularly affected, impacting transport, irrigation, and energy production. Scientists warn that the frequency of extreme fire-prone weather in Europe is increasing due to climate change.

Globally, oceans hit record high temperatures for a second consecutive month in July, driven by marine heatwaves around Europe and a developing El Nino in the Pacific. Global average sea surface temperatures reached 20.96C in July, breaking the previous record. Copernicus director Carlo Buontempo noted that while parts of the Mediterranean and Atlantic were unusually warm, the developing El Nino is likely the primary driver of these record sea temperatures.

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We are now facing a very large El Nino - possibly unprecedented in terms of amplitude. It is clear that the contribution coming from the tropical Pacific becomes quite important.