July 2026 ranked as the joint-second hottest July on record globally, as prolonged heat and drought intensified wildfires across western Europe and pushed ocean temperatures to a new July high, according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), implemented by the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF).<\/p>\n
The global average surface air temperature reached 16.90\u00b0C, 1.47\u00b0C above the estimated pre-industrial level and 0.67\u00b0C above the 1991-2020 average. July tied with 2024 and trailed only July 2023.<\/p>\n
Western Europe experienced its third and fourth heatwaves since May in July, while the average temperature for June and July reached a record 21.62\u00b0C, or 2.79\u00b0C above average.<\/p>\n
\u201cJuly 2026 was the third consecutive month of exceptional heat in western Europe, bringing the combined temperature for June and July to a new record for the region,\u201d said Samantha Burgess, Strategic Lead for Climate at ECMWF.<\/p>\n
\u201cPersistent high-pressure systems trapped heat over western Europe, the extreme temperatures also amplified widespread drought. As soils dry out, they lose their ability to provide natural cooling, allowing heat to build more readily,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a clear example of how climate change is intensifying heat extremes, with heat and drought increasingly reinforcing one another,\u201d Burgess said.<\/p>\n
Dry conditions persisted across much of western Europe, with particularly severe deficits reported in France, Spain, parts of Germany and the UK. The combination of heat and drought contributed to exceptional wildfire activity in terms of both area burned and emissions.<\/p>\n
\u201cLast month saw exceptional wildfire activity across western Europe, in terms of the area burnt and emissions,\u201d said Laurence Rouil, Director of the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) at ECMWF.<\/p>\n
\u201cClimate change is increasingly bringing the kinds of hot and dry conditions that favour large, high-intensity wildfires in southern Europe while extending the fire season northwards,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n
Extra-polar ocean temperatures hit a record 20.96\u00b0C in July, surpassing the previous high of 20.89\u00b0C set in 2023.<\/p>\n