Paris, Aug. 10 (SANA)Western Europe recorded exceptionally high temperatures during June and July this year, amid continuing concerns over the impacts of climate change, according to theCopernicus Climate Change Service.

Agence France-Presse reported Monday, citing the service’s latest report, that the combined average temperature inWestern Europeduring June and July reached 21.62°C, exceeding the previous record set in 2022 for the same period.

Copernicus said the figures reflect the exceptional persistence of heat conditions during the summer so far.

The European climate monitoring service added that soil moisture levels were “much lower” than in July 2022, when Western Europe experienced its most recent severe drought.

Europe is the world’s fastest-warming continent, and the first two months of summer were marked by successive heatwaves, very high temperatures and severe drought conditions.

Copernicus also reported that ocean temperatures reached record levels for the second consecutive month in July, driven by marine heatwaves around Europe and the development of a strong El Niño phenomenon in the Pacific Ocean.

The global average sea-surface temperature reached 20.96°C in July, exceeding the previous record set in 2023.

The Copernicus Climate Change Service relies on data collected from satellites and weather observation stations on land and at sea, with records extending back to 1940.