Western Europe Records Hottest June on Record

Western Europe recorded its hottest June on record last month, with average temperatures reaching 20.74C, more than three degrees Celsius above the 1991-2020 average. The month was also 1.39C warmer than the estimated pre-industrial June average for the 1850-1900 period. A heatwave in the second half of the month drove the record, breaking temperature records across several countries.

The June heatwave created a heat dome effect, a high-pressure system acting like a lid on a boiling pot. High humidity levels prevented nighttime cooling, producing a number of tropical nights in a row. More than two-thirds of Europeans, or 410 million people, endured temperatures topping 35C during the June 15-30 heatwave, according to an analysis by the AFP news agency.

Thousands of deaths were linked to the heatwave, mostly in France, Spain and Belgium. Dry conditions raised drought risks in Eastern Europe and contributed to wildfire activity in the Iberian Peninsula and southern France. French officials reported that wildfires in southern France burned more than 11,000 acres and prompted roughly 10,000 evacuations.

French officials also reported about 1,000 excess deaths, mainly among elderly residents. The World Health Organization stated that Europe recorded more than 1,300 heat-related deaths since June 21.

The average sea surface temperature across oceans outside the polar regions reached 20.86C in June, the highest ever recorded for the month. Continental Europe posted its second-highest June temperatures on record. June 2026 ranked as the second-warmest June globally. Warm seas reduced nighttime cooling and eliminated the usual sea breeze.