Rome, July 9 (LaPresse) – June 2026 was the hottest June ever recorded for Western Europe, and the second hottest globally. This emerges from the new bulletin of the European Union’s Earth observation programme Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), implemented by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF). Near-record temperatures were recorded, driven by sea surface temperatures that were the highest ever for the month of June. In Europe – it is explained – extreme heat affected both land and sea, especially in the western part of the continent. The heatwave broke monthly and historical temperature records in several European countries and contributed to severe health impacts, including heat-related deaths. “June 2026 highlighted how profoundly the climate is changing,” said Samantha Burgess, Strategic Lead for Climate at ECMWF. “Western Europe experienced its hottest June on record and continued to maintain record warmth in the global ocean. These analyses reflect a climate system that continues to accumulate heat. The result is increasingly intense heatwaves, a persistently warm ocean and growing risks for people, ecosystems and infrastructure across Europe and beyond.”
Climate: June 2026 was the hottest ever recorded for Western Europe
Rome, July 9 (LaPresse) – June 2026 was the hottest June ever recorded for Western Europe, and the second hottest globally. This emerges from the new bulletin of the European Union’s Earth observation programme Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), implemented by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF). Near-record temperatures were recorded, driven by sea surface temperatures that were the highest ever for the month of June. In Europe – it is explained – extreme heat affected both land and sea, especially in the western part of the continent. The heatwave broke monthly and historical temperature records in several European countries and contributed to severe health impacts, including heat-related deaths. “June 2026 highlighted how profoundly the climate is changing,” said Samantha Burgess, Strategic Lead for Climate at ECMWF. “Western Europe experienced its hottest June on record and continued to maintain record warmth in the global ocean. These analyses reflect a climate system that continues to accumulate heat. The result is increasingly intense heatwaves, a persistently warm ocean and growing risks for people, ecosystems and infrastructure across Europe and beyond.”
