June 2025 goes down in history - Europe sees unprecedented heat
Western Europe suffers from heatwave (photo: Getty Images)
Western Europe has experienced the hottest June on record. According to the European Copernicus agency, last month's temperature exceeded the 1991–2020 average by nearly 3 degrees, reports Bloomberg.
June temperature records
According to scientists, June in Western Europe was 2.8 degrees hotter than average, besting a record set in 2003 when deadly heat gripped the continent.
Spain, Italy, France, Portugal, and Germany were hit hardest, with air temperatures rising to 38°C and higher. The situation was worsened by abnormally warm waters in the Mediterranean Sea.
Sea hotter than ever
In the western Mediterranean, particularly in the Gulf of Lion and the Ligurian Sea, a record sea surface temperature of over 28°C was recorded on June 30. According to Copernicus, two-thirds of the Mediterranean Sea was affected by marine heatwaves classified as "strong or extreme."
That’s the broadest area in the Mediterranean to experience such conditions in a month, said Simon Van Gennip, a senior oceanographer at Mercator Ocean International.
Global warming continues
June 2025 became the third hottest globally in recorded history, with global temperatures 0.47°C above the 1991–2020 average.
According to Copernicus, every month in the past decade has been warmer than average. Last year, the planet exceeded the 1.5°C global warming threshold for the first time, and although this year's result may be slightly lower, the overall warming trend continues.
"In a warming world, heatwaves are likely to become more frequent, more intense, and impact more people across Europe," said Samantha Burgess, deputy director for climate at Copernicus ECMWF.
Paris declared a red alert due to extreme heat in Europe, which has led to school closures across the country. Warnings of abnormally high temperatures are spreading across the continent.
Earlier, we reported that on July 9, Ukraine will be at the center of the European heatwave, with temperatures reaching +39°C, and up to +40°C in the east of the country.
