Western Europe sets new temperature record as heat waves pummel the region

Western Europe has experienced record-breaking temperatures this summer as heat waves swept through the region, according to the European climate agency Copernicus. The extreme heat began in May and has led to devastating wildfires, prolonged drought, and new national temperature records across Europe, along with thousands of projected heat-related deaths.

While 2026 has yet to determine its place on the global temperature scale, with a growing likelihood of becoming the hottest year on record, the current year is already the third hottest since 2024 and 2025, according to climate statistics.

El Niño, a natural climate pattern characterized by the warming of parts of the Pacific Ocean, has contributed to the intensified heat, along with human-induced global warming. In July alone, the average sea surface temperature across the extra-polar oceans reached an unprecedented 20.96°C (69.73°F), surpassing the previous record set in 2023 by 0.07°C (0.12°F). However, the global average surface air temperature for July, which stood at 16.90°C (62.42°F), was only the second warmest on record, tied with July 2024.

The prolonged heat wave over Western Europe was a result of high-pressure systems that trapped heat over the continent. As the soil dried out, it lost its ability to provide natural cooling, which allowed heat to accumulate more readily. This phenomenon is a direct consequence of climate change, intensifying heat extremes and reinforcing the effects of drought, according to Samantha Burgess, strategic lead for climate at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts.