Western Europe Experienced the Hottest Summer on Record

According to data from Europe’s Copernicus Climate Service, June and July 2026 were the hottest period in Western Europe since records began. The average temperature over these two months was 21.62 degrees, exactly 2.79 degrees above the 1991–2020 norm. The previous record, set in 2022, was surpassed by almost half a degree, sharply worsening the region’s environmental and economic situation. This was reported by Ixbt.com reports .

Across Europe, June was recorded as the second-hottest month ever, but the temperature anomaly in Western Europe reached 3.6 degrees. Average temperatures in France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Switzerland and northeastern Spain exceeded normal levels by 3–5 degrees. In particular, on June 26, thermometers in Lingwood, England, reached 38 degrees, setting an absolute June record for the country, while temperatures in Vienna rose to 39.7 degrees.

Ocean Warming and Falling River Levels

Extreme heat caused unprecedented changes not only on land but also in the world’s oceans. In July, the average sea-surface temperature in non-polar regions reached 20.96 degrees, surpassing the 2023 record. Water temperatures were above normal across 94% of the eastern and Atlantic coasts as well as the Mediterranean Sea.

Severe drought shortened river channels and seriously damaged water transport and energy systems. On August 11, the Rhine’s level in Cologne fell to 55 centimeters, the lowest figure in recorded history, bringing shipping to a halt. Low water levels in the Seine, Rhine and Danube forced Hungary’s Paks and Romania’s Cernavodă nuclear power plants to significantly reduce their output.

Unprecedented Wildfires and Economic Losses

Extreme heat and drought triggered large-scale fires across Europe. As of August 6, 15,528 major fires had been recorded in the region, reducing nearly 5,000 square kilometers to ash. This was twice the average figure of the past 20 years, with France, Spain and Greece suffering particularly severe damage.

Experts estimate the economic losses at €180 billion, equivalent to nearly 1% of the European Union’s GDP, almost completely wiping out expected economic growth. Lower agricultural yields and declining labor productivity in hot weather placed additional pressure on the economy. Preliminary data indicate that the two-week peak heat period at the end of June caused nearly 14,000 additional deaths in Europe.

Climatologists explain that the situation was caused by a blocking anticyclone stalled over Western Europe. As the Arctic warmed rapidly, air currents broke apart, allowing hot air from the Sahara to remain over the same area for an extended period. Experts emphasize that heatwaves of this kind are now 10 times more likely than in 2003 and warn that severe weather conditions may continue through the end of August.