Record July heat in regions home to 900mil people, AFP analysis
Some 33 countries recorded their hottest July since records began, according to a detailed analysis of billions of data points from Copernicus's ERA5 climate model.
In 2026, regions housing approximately 900 million people endured their highest July temperatures on record, according to AFP analysis of Copernicus data. Regions such as the Sahel, Central America, France and Spain experienced extreme heat. Thirty-three countries recorded their hottest July since records began, as per a comprehensive analysis of billions of data points from Copernicus's ERA5 climate model.
While countries with robust weather services like France and Spain independently confirmed record-breaking conditions, many lower-income nations lacking comprehensive climate data were not included in the global overview. AFP further analyzed data from the European Copernicus program, which amalgamates observations from satellites, weather stations and climate models dating back to 1970, providing hourly global coverage.
The dataset predominantly comprises African populations residing in affected areas, with nearly 400 million people, primarily in the Sahel region, experiencing temperatures exceeding the 1981-2010 average by more than 2C. Recent studies reveal that episodes of extreme heat have become 10 times more likely since 2015, attributing this surge to human-induced climate change.
The World Weather Attribution network warned in January about the escalating risk of heatwaves, exacerbated by El Niño, which began in June and is expected to intensify later this year. El Niño has already triggered unprecedented temperatures in Central America and northern South America, affecting around 110 million individuals.
El Salvador, Nicaragua and Honduras set monthly temperature records in both June and July, intensifying famine concerns. The United Nations World Food Programme projected that Central America would suffer the most significant increase in food insecurity, potentially impacting an additional 16 million people by the end of 2027. Nearly 120 million Europeans experienced their hottest July on record, primarily in southern Britain, western France, and northern and eastern Spain.
France and Spain recorded record drought levels, fueling devastating wildfires. In France, a megafire scorched nearly 42,000 hectares and forced the evacuation of over 220,000 people in Gironde department. Spain's largest wildfire in recent history ravaged nearly 44,000 hectares in Avila province, near Madrid. Other regions, including China's Sichuan province, US states Wyoming and Colorado, and the Indonesian islands of Sumatra and Borneo, also witnessed unprecedented July heat, affecting over 250 million people collectively.
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