Western Europe experiences record heat and drought in June and July 2026

heatwave drought wildfires river water levels climate change

Western Europe has experienced its hottest June and July on record in 2026, according to data from the Copernicus Climate Change Service. The average temperature for the two months was 21.62°C, surpassing the previous record set in 2022.

Extreme heat and widespread drought have triggered severe consequences across the continent. Significant wildfires have occurred in France and Spain, while soil moisture levels in Western Europe fell below those recorded during the drought of July 2022. The water levels in major rivers, including the Rhine, Danube, and Seine, have reached exceptionally low levels, impacting shipping, agriculture, and power generation.

In the United Kingdom, the July drought was the driest in the south of England in two centuries, with cereal harvests facing significant losses. The Rhine river at Kaub, Germany, recorded a historic low navigability depth of just 24 centimeters. Globally, July 2026 tied with July 2024 as the second warmest July on record.

Entities: Carlo Buontempo · Copernicus Climate Change Service · Danube · Danube River · Europe · Rhine · Rhine River · Western Europe

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.

[● 2 SOURCES] Soil moisture levels in Western Europe during July were lower than in July 2022. (Copernicus Climate Change Service)
[● 6 SOURCES] Water levels in the Rhine, Danube, and Seine rivers reached exceptionally low levels. (Copernicus Climate Change Service)
[● 5 SOURCES] Western Europe experienced its hottest June and July on record in 2026. (Copernicus Climate Change Service)
[● 2 SOURCES] July 2026 was the second warmest July on record globally. (Copernicus Climate Change Service)
[● 5 SOURCES] The average temperature for June and July in Western Europe was 21.62°C. (Copernicus Climate Change Service)
[● 5 SOURCES] Severe wildfires occurred in France and Spain due to heat and drought. (Copernicus Climate Change Service)
[○ 1 SOURCE] The Rhine river reached a new historic low navigability depth of 24 centimeters at Kaub, Germany. (Copernicus Climate Change Service)