In Western Europe, persistent high pressure has made the June-July period the warmest on record, according to the EU's Copernicus climate service.
The heat is amplified by the fact that the ground is dry, which causes it to lose its natural cooling ability.
"This is a clear example of how climate change is intensifying heat extremes, where heat and drought increasingly reinforce each other," says climate chief Samantha Burgess in a press release.
Global sea surface temperatures are also higher than ever for a July. In the Atlantic and Mediterranean, there are widespread marine heat waves, and in the tropical Pacific, El Niño is contributing.
