Record-breaking temperatures, severe droughts and devastating wildfires have defined this summer across the Northern Hemisphere. From the United States to Europe and Asia, thermometers have been reaching unprecedented highs, putting people, ecosystems and infrastructure under growing pressure. But what is driving these extreme heatwaves? Here’s a closer look at the science behind the heat.
A DIFFERENT EUROSUMMER
Those who dreamed of a picture-perfect Euro summer this year have probably been disappointed. Countries such as Italy, Spain, Greece and France, popular destinations for their sun-soaked summer aesthetic, are experiencing some of the most severe heatwaves in their history.
On August 7, Spain recorded its highest temperature ever, reaching a shocking 40.5°C. France also experienced extreme temperatures, with 44.3°C recorded in Pissos, the highest temperature recorded in Europe this summer.
The heat has also had a deadly impact. More than 16,000 deaths were estimated across Europe during just one week in late June. In Wallonia, southern Belgium, 313 deaths were recorded in a single day on June 28, highlighting the potentially deadly consequences of prolonged extreme heat.
Europe’s buildings and homes can make the situation even harder to endure. Many houses were designed to retain heat during colder winters rather than keep interiors cool during extreme summer temperatures. Carpeting, limited air conditioning and inadequate ventilation can leave homes dangerously hot, making it harder for residents to adapt as heatwaves become more frequent and intense.
The Middle East: where the extreme heat is becoming the new normal
The Middle East has been at the center of some of the Northern Hemisphere’s most extreme temperatures. In Iran, temperatures reached 52.7°C in Omidieh on July 14th, making it one of the highest temperatures recorded anywhere this summer.
Across the region, over countries including Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates. Temperatures have repeatedly approached or exceeded 50°C, with some areas experiencing extreme heat for days at a time.
But the danger is not only the daytime heat. In parts of the Gulf, high humidity can make temperatures feel even more oppressive, while unusually warm nights give the human body little time to recover. In Kuwait, for example, temperatures remained above 35°C overnight during a prolonged stretch of extreme heat.
EAST ASIA: THE HEAT STARTS COOKING THE GROUND
East Asia is also facing an unprecedented deadly heat. In South Korea, temperatures reached 42.5°C in Yangsan on August 2, the highest ever recorded in the country. The heat has devastated agriculture, with potatoes and other crops reportedly being damaged underground, while livestock and fish farms have suffered major losses.
Japan and Hong Kong have also experienced record-breaking temperatures. Japan saw temperatures above 40°C, while Hong Kong reached 36.9°C, its highest temperature on record. The World Meteorological Organization says both Japan and South Korea experienced exceptional heat in early August, part of a broader pattern of extreme weather across Asia.
For the region, the consequences go far beyond uncomfortable summer days. Extreme heat is threatening food production, wildlife and human health, while putting growing pressure on energy systems and outdoor workers. Scientists warn that Asia is warming at roughly twice the rate it did in the period beginning in 1991, making these record-breaking heatwaves increasingly difficult to dismiss as isolated events.
NORTH AMERICA: HEAT AND FIRE ON A MASSIVE SCALE
North America has also been facing an intense summer of extreme weather. In the United States, July 2026 was the hottest July ever recorded nationwide, with heatwaves affecting large parts of the country. Canada has faced another major threat: wildfires fueled by heat and drought have forced tens of thousands of people to evacuate, including more than 20,000 residents in British Columbia after a fast-moving blaze destroyed or damaged around 150 structures.
The combination of extreme heat, dry conditions and wildfires is making the summer increasingly dangerous across the continent.
BUT WHY IS THIS HAPPENING?
Part of the answer lies in global warming. The planet has been steadily heating up as human activities increase the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, trapping more heat near the Earth’s surface. The latest data from the World Meteorological Organization shows that 2015–2025 were the eleven warmest years ever recorded, with 2025 ranking as the second or third warmest year on record.
A warmer planet does not automatically cause every individual heatwave, but it raises the baseline temperature, making extreme heat more likely, more intense and longer-lasting. That means heatwaves that might once have been rare are now reaching higher temperatures and affecting larger areas. The same warmer, drier conditions can also worsen drought and increase the risk and intensity of wildfires.
This high pressure zone works like a cover over the Northern Hemisphere, contributing to heat waves. It makes it harder for cold fronts, which normally bring lower temperatures and rain, to pass through, causing the heat to remain in the territory for several days. It makes air drop from the atmosphere to the surface, a process in which the air compresses and heats up. And, it also makes it harder for clouds to form, so the sun heats the ground directly, which converts solar energy directly into heat and makes the air and the surface get even hotter. All of these factors help keep the air over the region hot, which contributes to this period of extreme heat that is only intensified by global warming.
THE EFFECTS ON PEOPLE’S LIFES
The record-breaking temperatures are already changing daily life. From Asia and the Middle East to Europe and North America, extreme heat has disrupted transportation, agriculture, energy systems and outdoor activities, while increasing the risk of heat-related illness and death. The full impact of the 2026 heatwaves is still being assessed, but so far has been recorded more than 25,000 excess deaths during the heatwave, with the vast majority among people aged 65 and older.
And the consequences extend far beyond the thermometer. Drought is drying out crops, rivers and forests, while extreme heat is helping create conditions for destructive wildfires in places such as Canada, the United States and Europe. At the same time, record temperatures are putting pressure on water supplies, food production and electricity grids. This is no longer a warning; we are experiencing the consequences of an overly polluted world.
The article above was edited by Rafaela Navarro.
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