BERLIN – In an unprecedented shift, the sizzling heat waves sweeping across Western Europe this summer have shattered the previous average temperature record for June and July set just last year, as reported by the European climate agency, Copernicus.
Kicking off in May, the extreme heat has fueled massive wildfires, extended droughts, and set new national temperature records throughout the region. This alarming trend is also linked to thousands of anticipated heat-related fatalities, highlighting the dire impacts of the rising temperatures.
On a global scale, 2026 is currently marked as the third-warmest year to date, trailing behind 2024 and 2025, according to climate data. Yet, with the year still unfolding, there’s room for change. Experts caution that the combination of rapid human-induced climate change and an intensified El Niño—a cyclical heating of parts of the Pacific Ocean influencing global temperatures—could propel 2026 to emerge as the new hottest year on record. There’s a real possibility it might eclipse the 2024 record, or closely rival it, by year-end, scientists predict.
In a related climate anomaly, last month witnessed the highest mean sea surface temperatures ever recorded for July in the extra-polar oceans—those unencumbered by seasonal sea ice—Copernicus revealed.
This surge in sea temperatures has been partly driven by developing El Niño conditions in the equatorial Pacific. The new average for July is noted at 20.96 degrees Celsius (69.73 degrees Fahrenheit), narrowly surpassing the previous year’s record of 20.89 C (69.60 F), marking a significant uptick in oceanic heat.
But last month’s average surface air temperature globally was 16.90°C (62.42 F), making it only the joint second warmest July on record and tied with July 2024, Copernicus reported.
In Western Europe, meanwhile, the average temperature record for the June-July period hit 21.62°C (70.92 F), Copernicus said.
“Persistent high-pressure systems trapped heat over western Europe, the extreme temperatures also amplified widespread drought. As soils dry out, they lose their ability to provide natural cooling, allowing heat to build more readily,” said Samantha Burgess, strategic lead for climate at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts.
“This is a clear example of how climate change is intensifying heat extremes, with heat and drought increasingly reinforcing one another.”
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.