While it's not actually possible to get accurate data for all the centuries, Europe's Summer of 2022 was the hottest ever since full records for the continent began in 1970. The five hottest years have all been since 2016 as climate change accelerates.
The Copernicus Climate Change Service, which serves as the EU's monitor, reported that June through August temperatures were 1.34C higher than the historic 1991-2020 range used as a base; August itself was 1.72C above the average.
Among the effects of the long hot summer, aside from people sweltering in the heat, have been extensive fires in a number of countries, including France, where they have not been as common as in Spain and Portugal. The heat is also linked to droughts in many areas of the continent and disruptions to agriculture and food supplies. In some areas, cargo traffic on rivers had to be reduced because of the lower water levels.
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