Last month, Western Europe faced its hottest June on record, according to scientists. A prolonged heat wave broke temperature records across France, Britain, Spain, and other countries. Average temperatures in the region were 3.05 degrees Celsius, or 5.5 degrees Fahrenheit, above the recent decades’ average, Copernicus, the European Union’s climate monitoring service, reported.
Previously, the hottest June on record in the region occurred just last year. Globally, last month was the second warmest June ever recorded. The planet’s average temperature was 1.39 degrees Celsius, or 2.5 degrees Fahrenheit, hotter than the pre-industrial era.
“These records reflect a climate system accumulating heat,” explained Samantha Burgess, a climate scientist at Copernicus. This accumulation results in more intense heat waves, persistently warm oceans, and increasing risks across Europe and beyond.
The intense June heat followed an earlier heat wave in May. Although temperatures temporarily eased, parts of the region began to experience soaring temperatures once again. Records for June were shattered in parts of England, Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. France experienced its hottest day on record nationwide, not just once but for three consecutive days.
While atmospheric patterns causing prolonged heat are not new, rising average temperatures due to carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases now make it easier for heat waves to breach records. Scientists concluded that climate change significantly increased the likelihood of such intense heat in Western Europe compared to previous years, including the extreme heat in 2003 that caused over 70,000 excess deaths.
In France, health authorities noted 1,000 excess deaths during three exceptionally hot days in late June. Most of those who died were aged 65 or older. However, increases in excess mortality were observed across all ages. Estimates suggest the total number of heat-related deaths in France last month could exceed 2,700.
The article is by Raymond Zhong, a reporter on climate and environmental issues.
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