Europe’s Scorching Summer
A series of heat waves in 2026 is breaking records and taking a toll in Europe.
In May 2026, Europe experienced its first indication of an atypical summer when a heat dome brought unprecedented temperatures that broke records in numerous nations. However, this initial heat wave was merely the initial stage in a series of extreme weather events that would unfold later in the summer. By mid-August, Europeans were enduring their fifth heat wave of the season, with the most recent episode pushing temperatures well above 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) over a wide region.
Throughout these periods of intense weather, high temperatures were frequently relentless, enduring for several days and at times weeks.
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- Europe’s Scorching Summer science.nasa.gov
