Could June 2025 Really Be the Third-Warmest June Ever Recorded?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- June 2025 was the third-warmest June on record globally.
- Western Europe had its hottest June ever recorded.
- The average global temperature was 1.3 degrees higher than pre-industrial levels.
- Sea surface temperatures reached 20.72 degrees, the third-highest for June.
- Urgent action is needed to reduce emissions and improve climate resilience.
Brussels, July 9 (NationPress) According to the EU-funded Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), June 2025 has been recorded as the third-hottest June globally, following only 2023 and 2024. The average global surface air temperature for June reached 16.46 degrees Celsius, which is 0.47 degrees higher than the 1991-2020 average and 1.3 degrees above the pre-industrial level from 1850 to 1900.
The average temperature across Europe was 18.46 degrees, marking it as the fifth-hottest June on record. However, Western Europe experienced its hottest June ever, with an average of 20.49 degrees, as reported by Xinhua news agency.
“June 2025 was characterized by an extraordinary heatwave affecting vast areas of Western Europe, with many regions suffering from severe heat stress,” stated Samantha Burgess, the strategic lead for climate at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts.
She cautioned that heatwaves are expected to become more frequent, intense, and to affect more people across Europe due to climate change.
In addition to Europe, above-average temperatures were recorded in various regions, including the United States, northern Canada, central and eastern Asia, and West Antarctica, according to Xinhua.
The global average sea surface temperature (SST) in June, spanning from 60 degrees north to 60 degrees south, was 20.72 degrees, making it the third-highest for that month.
A notable marine heatwave emerged in the western Mediterranean, where daily SSTs reached 27 degrees, the highest ever recorded for June in that region, representing the largest daily SST anomaly globally for any month, as noted by C3S.
“The ongoing trend of rising ocean temperatures is clear worldwide,” explained Julien Nicolas, a senior scientist at C3S. He emphasized that increased SST poses a growing threat to marine ecosystems and biodiversity since oceans absorb approximately 90 percent of the excess heat from human-induced climate change.
Nicolas advocated for expedited action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance climate resilience.
“It is crucial to cut emissions and adapt our cities and communities to endure a world with more extreme weather,” he concluded.