As of mid-July, there have been three major heatwaves in western Europe this summer. An early intense heatwave in May was followed by an exceptionally severe heatwave in late June that broke all-time records across the region. A third heatwave in July swept through France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, and elsewhere.
June was the hottest June on record in Western Europe. Average temperatures for the month were 5.5 degrees Fahrenheit above their normal levels over the past few decades. France recorded its hottest day nationwide not just for June but for any month and did so three days in a row.
Barcelona registered its highest temperature in over 100 years at 113 degrees Fahrenheit during the early July heatwave. High temperature warnings were issued across the Republic of Ireland. Two out of three secondary school students stayed out of school in parts of England during the late June heatwave. Meanwhile, hundreds of wildfires were reported in France during the July heatwave.
European countries are reporting thousands of deaths linked to the extreme high temperatures. Germany linked 5,000 deaths to the June heatwave, France 2,700 deaths, and other countries, including Belgium and England, reported numerous excess deaths associated with the repeated heatwaves.
While any specific heatwave could occur for a number of reasons, climate scientists point out that human-driven climate change has made extreme, record-shattering weather events much more common and severe. The likelihood of three such massive heatwaves occurring over the course of such a short period of time would be nearly impossible were the planet not warming as it has been.
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