Last month marked the second hottest June globally on record, with average temperatures reaching 16.54°C (61.77°F), falling just short of the record set in June 2024. This global trend was amplified in Western Europe, which experienced its hottest June ever due to a significant heatwave during the latter half of the month.
According to experts from the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), the persistent heat records are partly attributed to the ongoing development of a Super El Niño. Samantha Burgess, Strategic Lead for Climate at ECMWF, stated that the records highlight the profound changes occurring in the climate system, characterized by accumulating heat, leading to more intense heatwaves, persistently warm oceans, and increased risks to ecosystems and infrastructure.
Western Europe recorded an average temperature of 20.74°C (69.33°F) in June, a staggering 3.05°C (5.49°F) above the 1991–2020 average. This region experienced a severe heatwave shortly after a notable heat event in May, with another heatwave emerging in early July. The June heatwave broke monthly and all-time temperature records in several European countries, contributing to significant health impacts, including heat-related deaths.
Globally, the average surface air temperature was 0.56°C (1.0°F) above the 1991–2020 average and 1.39°C (2.5°F) above the pre-industrial 1850–1900 average. Sea surface temperatures outside of polar regions reached their highest recorded levels at 20.86°C (69.54°F). The tropical Pacific, where El Niño conditions are present, also registered exceptionally high sea surface temperatures, which are expected to increase further as El Niño strengthens.
In the United Kingdom, provisional figures from the Met Office indicate that England experienced its hottest June on record, with an average temperature of 17.1°C, surpassing the previous record from 2025. This exceptional warmth was driven by a late-month heatwave and frequent tropical nights. While June 2026 ranks provisionally as the UK's second warmest June, Wales recorded its second warmest, and Scotland and Northern Ireland saw their joint fourth warmest June since 1884. Professor Stephen Belcher, Met Office Chief Scientist, described these temperatures as sobering, emphasizing the tangible implications of climate change, including heat stress, and impacts on transportation, energy, and water supplies.