Western Europe Endures Warmest June-July Period on Record as Seas Hit July Highs

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 manager Samantha Burgess in a press release.

Global sea surface temperatures are also higher than ever before for July. In the Atlantic and Mediterranean, widespread marine heat waves are taking place, and in the tropical Pacific, the weather phenomenon El Niño is contributing.