'Hotter and hotter and hotter' - Europe's new climate in seven charts
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- UK temperatures peaked at 37.7C in Lingwood, Norfolk, shattering the previous June record of 35.6C set in 1957 and tied in 1976, with some long-running stations seeing records broken by 2C or more.
- Tropical nights became widespread across England and Wales in June, with Cardiff recording 23.5C as the warmest June night ever recorded around the UK.
- More than a dozen European countries broke their June temperature records, with France and Spain logging their hottest national June averages and some nations exceeding 40C.
- Switzerland reached 39C, surpassing its previous June record by more than 2C, according to Prof Sonia Seneviratne of ETH Zurich.
- Europe's rapid warming is driven partly by melting snow and ice and reduced airborne polluting particles that previously reflected sunlight back into space, the article reports.
- Marine heatwaves around UK coasts have strengthened, and sea heat can prolong and intensify future land heatwaves by reducing cooling from sea breezes.
- Scientists warn UK and European summers will keep getting hotter until global net zero greenhouse gas emissions is reached, with a third heatwave already forecast to bring 30C+ temperatures.
Why it matters: The UK shattered its June temperature record by margins of 2C and a dozen European nations broke national records in the same event, with scientists warning heatwaves will keep intensifying until net zero is reached. A third heatwave is already forecast for the UK, making adaptation of public health systems and urban infrastructure an immediate rather than future concern.
