Copernicus confirms June 2026 as Western Europe's hottest June on record

The EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service has confirmed that June 2026 was the hottest June recorded in Western Europe since measurements began. The agency's monthly bulletin also ranked the month as the second-warmest June globally, with sea-surface temperatures reaching their highest level on record for the period. The regional average temperature reached 20.74 degrees Celsius, 3 degrees above the 1991–2020 average, according to Copernicus. The service said the affected area covers parts of Spain, Britain, Italy, Germany and Austria, where three severe heat waves have hit within the first six months of the year. Several European countries, led by Spain and Portugal, faced a new heat wave at the end of June. The extreme temperatures disrupted electricity supply in parts of the region and prompted school closures in some countries.