Copernicus: Western Europe's hottest summer on record, rivers at 30-year lows

Western Europe had its warmest summer on record this year, averaging 21.7°C, 2.5 degrees above the 1991–2020 average and above the 2003 record, the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) said on October 2.

Western Europe had 41 days of "strong" heat stress, five more than in 2003, and 13 days of "very strong" stress, both records. On 17 days at least 60 percent of the region was above 30°C. Across Europe as a whole, 52 percent of the continent had at least one day of "very strong" heat stress, meaning a feels-like temperature of 38°C or more.

Rivers run dry

Europe had its most severe low-flow summer since EFAS records began in 1992. The Rhine, Danube, Po, Loire, Rhône and Seine reached record or near-record lows in July and August. Sea-surface temperatures were record or near-record along the Atlantic coast and in the western and central Mediterranean.

"Europe experienced a summer of compounded climate extremes in 2026," said Samantha Burgess of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF).