Western Europe sets new temperature record as heat waves pummel the region
Copernicus said persistent heat waves and drought drove wildfires, low river levels and thousands of projected heat-related deaths across the region.
- Western Europe recorded its hottest June-July period on record with temperatures averaging 21.62°C, surpassing the previous 2022 record, according to Copernicus.
- Persistent high-pressure systems trapped heat over the region, amplifying widespread drought; soil moisture levels were "significantly lower" than in July 2022, reducing natural cooling, Copernicus added.
- River flows in the Seine, Rhine, and Danube reached record lows, impacting transport and energy production, while France and Spain battled severe wildfires during the heatwaves.
- Global ocean temperatures hit record highs in July, driven by marine heatwaves and a developing El Nino in the Pacific; Copernicus Director Carlo Buontempo said El Nino "is probably the driving force."
- Scientists expect new global average temperature records later this year or early 2027, with greenhouse gases identified as the main warming driver, Buontempo noted.
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The first two months of summer in Western Europe have been the hottest on record, the European Union's climate monitor reported Monday, as the continent grapples with devastating wildfires and braces for another heatwave. The average temperature for June and July was 21.62 degrees Celsius (70.9°F), roughly 2.79 degrees above average, surpassing the previous record set in 2022, according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service.
Western Europe experienced the warmest period in June and July since records began. This is according to research by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), part of the European Earth observation program Copernicus.
The average surface temperature of the oceans reached 20.96 °C in July, a new peak. In Western Europe, June and July together were the warmest period of record
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