June 2026 was the warmest June on record in Western Europe. Globally, it ranks as the second-warmest June in climate history.

According to the European climate service Copernicus, temperatures across Europe during the exceptional heatwave in the second half of June were, on average, more than three degrees above the long-term average. New heat records were set in many regions.

The heat was particularly intense in France and Spain, where temperatures in many places rose well above 100 degrees. But the 100-degree mark was also exceeded in many places in Germany and Poland. Furthermore, the seas around Europe were exceptionally warm for the time of year.

And the next heatwave is already on the horizon: very hot air is once again spreading from France into Central Europe. Although the heat will be slightly less extreme than at the end of June, temperatures will still exceed 100 degrees in many places. Regionally, peak temperatures well above 95 degrees are once again possible.