Western Europe recorded its hottest combined June and July period ever, with an average temperature of 21.62 degrees Celsius (70.92 Fahrenheit), surpassing the previous record set in 2022. The EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service reported this development on Monday, highlighting the region’s prolonged exposure to extreme heat and subsequent environmental impacts.
This exceptional heat was marked by four separate heatwaves since May, contributing to severe droughts, widespread wildfires, and fresh national temperature records across Western Europe.
Heatwaves and Drought Impact Western Europe
Persistent high-pressure systems trapped heat over the region, leading to unusually dry conditions in July across areas including Spain, France, Germany, Austria, Hungary, and the United Kingdom. Ireland and parts of Iceland also saw drier-than-average weather. Soil moisture levels this summer were significantly lower compared to July 2022 when the last major drought occurred.
As soils dried out, their cooling capacity diminished, allowing temperatures to rise further. This dynamic intensified heat and drought effects, especially in major river basins such as the Seine, Rhine, and Danube. Reduced river flows have disrupted transportation, irrigation, and energy production in several countries.
France and Spain faced particularly intense wildfires this summer, with serious blazes also reported in other parts of Europe and North America. The extreme weather has led to thousands of projected heat-related fatalities.
Global Ocean Temperatures Also Reach New Highs
In addition to land-based temperature records, global sea surface temperatures outside polar regions hit a record average of 20.96 degrees Celsius (69.73 Fahrenheit) in July. This marks the highest July temperature for the oceans, exceeding the 2023 record of 20.89 degrees Celsius (69.60 Fahrenheit).
Marine heatwaves were especially intense along parts of the Atlantic coast and in the western Mediterranean. A large and potentially unprecedented El Niño event developing in the equatorial Pacific contributed to these record-high ocean temperatures.
Outlook for Global Temperatures in 2026
Globally, July 2026 tied with July 2024 as the second-warmest on record, reaching an average surface air temperature of 16.90 degrees Celsius (62.42 Fahrenheit). This was approximately 1.47 degrees Celsius (2.65 Fahrenheit) above the 1850–1900 pre-industrial average.
So far, 2026 ranks as the third-hottest year worldwide, trailing only 2024 and 2025. Experts expect that the strengthening El Niño may push global temperatures even higher later this year or in early 2027, potentially setting a new record.
Over the past 11 years, global temperatures have been the warmest recorded, and the primary driver of this sustained warming continues to be human-generated greenhouse gas emissions.
