Record Heat Wave Strikes Western Europe

Western Europe experienced its hottest June on record last month, according to scientists. A prolonged heat wave shattered records across countries like France, Britain, and Spain.

Data from Copernicus, the European Union’s climate monitoring service, showed average temperatures in the region were 3.05 degrees Celsius (5.5 degrees Fahrenheit) above normal levels from recent decades. Until now, the hottest June was recorded only last year.

Globally, June ranked as the second warmest on record. The planet’s average temperature was 1.39 degrees Celsius (2.5 degrees Fahrenheit) higher than during the industrial era’s onset when fossil fuel burning began substantially warming the planet.

“Together, these records reflect a climate system continuing to accumulate heat. The result is increasingly intense heat waves, a persistently warm ocean, and growing risks for people, ecosystems, and infrastructure across Europe and beyond.”

These words by Samantha Burgess, a climate scientist with Copernicus, emphasize the growing impact of climate change.

The intense heat in Western Europe last month followed a sweltering period in May and a brief reprieve before hot conditions returned. England, Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, and Switzerland saw records fall by significant margins. In France, the highest temperatures were recorded not only for June but for any month, occurring three consecutive days.

While atmospheric patterns causing summer heat are not new, they now occur with elevated average temperatures due to the buildup of greenhouse gases from fossil fuels. This backdrop allows heat waves to more easily break records.

Scientists studying June’s heat concluded human-induced climate change significantly raised the chances of experiencing such temperatures. The likelihood of these events has increased since 2003 when a heat wave caused over 70,000 additional deaths in Europe.

In France, health authorities reported 1,000 excess deaths during three of the month’s hottest days, with 85% of victims aged 65 or older. Yet, rises in excess mortality were noted across all ages. Estimates suggest heat-related deaths in France last month might have surpassed 2,700.