June 2025 could be among hottest on record in Europe: Copernicus

BRUSSELS, July 1 (Xinhua) -- Much of Europe experienced widespread extreme heat in June 2025, with the month possibly ranking among the top five hottest ever recorded on the continent, the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) said Tuesday.

According to a report released by ECMWF, temperatures remained warmer than average across many parts of Europe throughout June, with Western Europe hit by two distinct heatwaves. The center warned that extreme temperatures are expected to continue in the coming days.

"The temperatures observed recently are more typical of the months of July and August and tend to only happen a few times each summer," said Samantha Burgess, strategic lead for climate at ECMWF. "Climate change is making heatwaves more frequent, more intense, and impacting larger geographical areas," she added.

Meteorological data from several countries highlighted the severity of the heat. In Huelva, Spain, temperatures reached 46 degrees Celsius, marking the record-breaking June temperature in the country.

On June 30, France's weather agency issued an orange-level heat alert for 84 departments, with several upgraded to red alert on July 1.

Italy, Greece, Switzerland and Germany have also issued heat warnings, urging the public to take precautions against heat-related illnesses.