EU Monitor Warns of ‘New Normal’ Following Record Temperatures in May
Poinews.com – Europe faced its warmest May in history last month, as an early heatwave triggered by a persistent atmospheric anomaly sent temperatures soaring across western regions. The Copernicus Climate Change Service highlighted this trend, suggesting such extreme conditions may soon be the standard rather than an outlier. Britain, France, Ireland, and Portugal all set national records, with heat trapped by a mass of warm air from North Africa creating unprecedented heat levels.
Heatwave Intensity and Rapid Shifts
According to the Copernicus bulletin, May saw a dramatic shift from cooler-than-average weather to one of the most severe heatwaves recorded so early in the year. This abrupt change, described as a “rapid transition,” amplified the effects on both human populations and natural systems, leaving little time for adaptation to the extreme warmth.
“The month was marked by a rapid transition from much cooler-than-average conditions to one of the most intense heatwaves ever observed this early in the year in western Europe,” stated the Copernicus Climate Change Service.
Experts at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) emphasized that the early heatwave exemplifies how climate extremes are becoming more frequent. “This unusually early and intense heatwave demonstrates how quickly climate extremes are becoming the new normal rather than the exception,” said Samantha Burgess, the organization’s strategic lead for climate.
Global and Oceanic Temperature Trends
Internationally, May 2026 ranked as the second-hottest May on record, with average surface air temperatures reaching 15.81°C. Sea surface temperatures also hit their second-highest level ever, trailing only May 2024. These figures signal a shift toward a warming climate pattern, with the El Niño phenomenon increasingly influencing global weather.
“Feels-like” temperatures across much of Europe reached 35°C to 40°C, according to Copernicus.
Looking ahead, forecasts suggest the upcoming El Niño could be among the strongest in history, potentially driving global temperatures to historic peaks by 2027. The tropical Pacific has already shown unusually high temperatures, with an 80% chance of an El Niño event forming between June and August, as reported by the World Meteorological Organization. The last El Niño phase contributed to 2023 being the second-hottest year and 2024 the hottest ever recorded.
