Copernicus: June 2026 was the warmest on record in Western Europe

Record values also in the oceans

The mean air temperature was 16.54 degrees, which is 0.56 degrees above the June average for the years 1991 to 2020. The non-polar seas reached an average surface temperature of 20.86 degrees in June, the highest value ever recorded for this month.

In addition to the temperature records on land, Copernicus also registered exceptional values in the sea. The average sea surface temperature for oceans outside the polar regions in June was 20.86 degrees Celsius. An average above 20 degrees was long considered barely conceivable and exceeded the previous record set the year before.

Voices from the scientific community

Climate scientist Samantha Burgess, strategic lead for climate at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, contextualized the data. "Der Juni 2026 hat deutlich gemacht, wie tiefgreifend sich das Klima verändert," she said. The records on land and at sea reflected a climate system in which heat continues to accumulate.

Burgess also warned of the consequences: "Die Folge sind immer intensivere Hitzewellen, ein anhaltend warmer Ozean und wachsende Risiken für Menschen, Ökosysteme und Infrastruktur in ganz Europa und darüber hinaus." She pointed to possible health burdens, damage to nature, and strain on energy and water supplies.

Extreme heat in Germany and Austria

In Germany, a temperature of 41.8 degrees was measured in June at the provisional data status of the Möckern-Drewitz weather station in Saxony-Anhalt. This value represents the German temperature record. Copernicus regularly publishes data on surface temperature, sea ice cover, and precipitation.

In Austria, according to GeoSphere Austria, the country experienced one of the most extreme heat waves in measurement history in the second half of June. Temperatures of up to 40 degrees were recorded, and some local records were broken. Climatologist Alexander Orlik of GeoSphere Austria concluded that comparable heat waves had previously only occurred in the months of July or August, "für einen Juni wurden allerdings neue Maßstäbe gesetzt."

Despite the extreme second half of the month, June 2026 in Austria did not become the warmest June in measurement history. Before the heat wave, temperatures were at least close to the climate mean compared to the climate period 1991 to 2020; from the 10th of the month onwards, the first half ensured that June 2026 became only the fourth-warmest in measurement history, as GeoSphere Austria announced a week ago.

In Austria, the environmental foundation WWF warned of low water levels based on data from the Environment Ministry. Around 85 percent of gauge stations had been affected by lower levels than usual in June, and more than 40 percent by very low water levels. Affected areas included Zwettl am Kamp and the Thaya near Raabs.

Low water levels and consequences

For Austria, after a few days below 30 degrees, the next hot days were already announced for the weekend. The upcoming heat waves are not expected to reach the extent of the most recent one for the time being, but the tendency toward high temperatures continues.

The EU climate service Copernicus regularly publishes data on surface temperature, sea ice cover, and precipitation. The current June values for Western Europe are part of a series of international heat records in recent years and are interpreted by experts as a clear signal of advancing climate change.

Overall, the data from June 2026 show two parallel developments: on the one hand, the extreme heat wave in Western Europe and parts of Central Europe with new all-time records; on the other, unusually high sea temperatures, which are regarded as an indicator of long-term ocean warming. Burgess verbatim: "Zusammengenommen spiegeln diese Rekorde ein Klimasystem wider, in dem sich weiterhin Wärme ansammelt."

The warming affects not only individual countries but the entire continent. With an average temperature of 19.14 degrees, Europe was significantly above its long-term mean. The combination of land and sea temperatures, along with the ongoing drought reflected in low water levels in Austria, intensifies the risks for agriculture, water supply, and health systems, according to experts.

Placing it in the global trend

Burgess pointed out that the consequences of the records are already becoming visible: more intense heat waves, warmer oceans, and growing risks for people, ecosystems, and infrastructure. These risks range from heat stress in cities to increased wildfire danger to crop losses in agriculture.

The coming weeks are considered crucial for observing whether the heat waves in Europe continue or weaken. According to the EU climate service, the Copernicus data are continuously updated and feed into international reports on climate development.

June 2026 thus joins a series of ever-new temperature records that, in the assessment of climate researchers, underscore the urgency of adaptation measures to climate change. These include, for example, heat protection plans for cities, improved handling of water scarcity, and measures to protect particularly affected population groups.