It became an extremely warm summer in parts of Europe this year, according to the EU's climate service Copernicus.
In southeastern Europe, parts of the population were affected by 66 days of severe heat stress, which means temperatures perceived as above 32 degrees. So many days with heat stress have never been measured before in the region, where a normal summer usually offers 29 days of severe heat stress.
High temperatures are particularly dangerous for the elderly and weak, who risk dying as a result of the heat.
"Europe experienced its warmest summer ever in 2024. The extreme temperatures in regions like southeastern Europe affect Europeans' well-being, as the inhabitants of this region experience more heat stress than ever before", says Samantha Burgess, deputy director of Copernicus.
The Mediterranean was also record-warm, with a peak of 28.45 degrees in surface temperature in the drainage area on August 13.
