England experienced its warmest June on record with an average temperature of 17.1C, according to the Met Office; the previous record of 16.9C was set in June 2025, nearly 3C above the long-term average. This means England’s top three warmest Junes since data began in 1884 have all occurred this decade, with the third being in 2023, according to Al Jazeera.

Record-Breaking Heat

A punishing heatwave affected many parts of the UK during the last week of June, with temperatures topping 30C at some places in the UK for seven days in a row from June 21-27. A provisional peak of 37.7C was reached at Lingwood in Norfolk on June 26—the highest maximum temperature ever recorded for the month, according to the Met Office. This was more than 2C higher than the previous June record of 35.6C set in 1957 at Camden Square in London and equalled in 1976 at Mayflower Park in Southampton.

Last month also saw a provisional new June record for the highest overnight minimum, with temperatures at Cardiff Bute Park dropping no lower than 23.5C on June 25. The heatwave disrupted public transport. Closed more than 1. 000 schools and nurseries. And strained overhead wires and signaling systems because of the heat, Critics felt the country was ill-prepared to deal with the sweltering heat, according to Al Jazeera.

Broader European Impact

The heatwave has affected many countries in Europe, including France, Germany, Slovakia, Serbia, Croatia, Italy, Austria, and western Ukraine, more than 1,000 deaths linked to the scorching heat were reported in France alone. A group of scientists blamed climate change for the dangerous weather blazing across Europe. The World Weather Attribution group of scientists said the intensity of the heatwave was “unequivocally” due to climate change, adding such temperatures would have been “virtually impossible” 50 years ago, according to Euronews.

In Portugal. The seven districts recorded the highest maximum temperature ever in the country in June, with the inland town of Mora, west of Lisbon, registering a record-high temperature of 46.6 degrees Celsius. The previous record was 44.9 in 2017. While mainland Portugal was battling with a heatwave, a rare roll cloud surprised many sunbathers when the dense “tsunami”-like cloud hit several beaches along the Portuguese coast on Sunday. Lisbon was forecast to reach 33 degrees Celsius, which is normal for this time of year, but some inland areas could still experience peaks of 43 degrees Celsius, according to Euronews (spa).

Spain also saw record-breaking temperatures, with Barcelona recording its hottest June in a hundred years since 1914. The Fabra Observatory. Situated on a hill overlooking the city, recorded an average temperature of 26 degrees Celsius, surpassing the previous hottest June average in 2003, which stood at 25.6 degrees Celsius. The southern province of Huelva recorded a record temperature of 46 degrees Celsius on Saturday, and Sunday’s national average of 28 degrees Celsius set a new record temperature for that day since 1950.

Health and Tourism Challenges

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) issued a rare red heat-health warning for southern England, active from 1am on Wednesday until 11pm on Thursday — the warning cautioned that the hot weather could pose a risk to everyone’s health, not just vulnerable groups. This was the second time a red HHA had been issued, the first having been in July 2022. The warning covered parts of Sussex and the entirety of Surrey, with temperatures expected to exceed 37C and potentially reach between 38C and 40C in some areas.

Meanwhile, a deadly heat wave is disrupting tourism across Europe, prompting train cancellations and impacting global attractions like Paris’ Eiffel Tower and England’s changing of the guard ceremony. More than a dozen European nations. Including France. The United Kingdom. Spain, and Italy—have issued heat warnings as the region swelters under a “heat dome,” a high-pressure system that traps hot air. The World Meteorological Organization reports that climate change has hit European summers especially hard, with a 2022 report finding the region’s temperatures are rising at roughly twice the global average rate. At least 95% of Europe experienced above-average annual temperatures last year.