Western Europe has recorded its hottest combined June and July on record, as a summer of persistent heat, drought and wildfires continues to affect large parts of the continent, according to the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service.
The average temperature across western Europe for the two-month period reached 21.62 degrees Celsius, surpassing the previous record set in 2022. Copernicus said the figure reflects the “exceptional persistence of heat” in the region, which has experienced four heatwaves since May.
The extreme heat has been accompanied by prolonged drought, exceptionally dry soils, wildfires and new national temperature records. Thousands of heat-related deaths are also expected as a result of the prolonged conditions.
Europe is the fastest-warming continent in the world, although temperatures have varied considerably across the region. Eastern Europe and Scandinavia experienced much cooler conditions, while Europe as a whole recorded its 11th-warmest July, with an average temperature of 20.49 degrees Celsius.
Soil moisture in western Europe was “significantly lower” in July than during the severe drought of 2022, according to Copernicus. Very dry conditions were reported across western and central European countries including France, Spain, Germany, Austria and Hungary, as well as in the United Kingdom, Ireland and parts of Iceland.
