Central Europe endures unprecedented heatwave as temperatures shatter records

June was the second‑warmest on record in the Netherlands, with an average of 19.2 °C nationwide and a regional heatwave that peaked at 23.8 °C in the last ten days. The month also saw 253 sunshine hours, well above the norm.

Across Central Europe, national weather services reported all‑time high temperatures. In Germany, Neißemünde (Brandenburg) reached 41.7 °C, surpassing the previous record of 41.5 °C set a day earlier. Poland recorded 40.5 °C in Slubice near the German border, beating the 1921 high of 40.2 °C. The Czech Republic observed 41.9 °C in Doksany, exceeding the 2012 record of 40.4 °C. Vienna logged a 40 °C reading, a city record, while nearby Slovakia came close with 39 °C.

The extreme heat caused infrastructure damage, including road buckling and disruptions to tram and train services in Germany and Poland, and triggered severe thunderstorms and flooding later in the week. Scientists linked the unprecedented temperatures to climate change, noting that such extreme events are becoming more likely.

The heatwave underscores the growing challenges European societies face as record‑breaking temperatures become more frequent.