Europe's summer heat worst on record, Copernicus confirms, signaling grim future

EU Copernicus data confirms western Europe's summer was the hottest on record, with surface air temperatures 2.5C above the decadal average and over half the continent experiencing 'very strong' heat stress. This is a continuation of an established warming trend, but the severity and geographic extent mark a new extreme, raising concerns about future harvests and heat-related mortality.