BRUSSELS, August 10, 2026 (WAFA) — Western Europe recorded its hottest summer temperatures on record during June and July, amid repeated heatwaves, widespread drought and devastating wildfires in France and Spain. Ocean temperatures also reached record levels in July, as the El Niño phenomenon showed signs of strengthening.
The Copernicus Climate Change Service said that the period spanning June and July was the hottest on record in Western Europe since records began.
The average temperature during the two months reached 21.62°C, surpassing the previous record set during the same period in 2022.
The European monitoring service described the figures as reflecting an “exceptional continuation of heat” since the beginning of summer, amid successive heatwaves, scorching temperatures and severe drought conditions.
Meanwhile, soil moisture levels fell to “far below” those recorded in July 2022, when Western Europe was hit by its most recent severe drought.
Ocean temperatures also reached record levels for the second consecutive month in July, driven by marine heatwaves around Europe and the development of a strong El Niño phenomenon in the Pacific Ocean.
The global average sea surface temperature reached 20.96°C in July, surpassing the previous record set in 2023.
K.T
