June 2022 was the third hottest June on record globally, according to data from Europe's climate change service Copernicus, released Thursday.

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June 2019 and 2021 are the 1st and 2nd hottest months known globally.

In a statement, the climate observation program from satellites, ships, planes and weather stations around the world, explains that several "highlights" took place in June 2022.

The global average temperature for June was about 0.31°C higher than the average recorded between 1991 and 2020.

In Europe, it was the second hottest month of June on record, with a temperature around 1.6°C higher than average. June 2019 is the hottest June ever recorded on the Old Continent.

Copernicus notably mentions extreme temperatures recorded from Spain to Italy.

“Southwestern Europe, which experienced its first heat wave in the second half of May, experienced another period of exceptional temperatures four weeks later which peaked on June 17,” the statement said. .

In addition to this region, countries such as France, Japan and the United States have also experienced strong heat waves.

Conversely, in Greenland and most of South America, the study points to colder temperatures.

“We expect that heat waves similar to those observed this year will become more frequent and more severe in the years to come, both in Europe and elsewhere”, estimates the director of the climate change service of Copernicus, Carlo Buontempo. , based on these data.

“It is particularly important to make reliable data available to the public so that everyone can follow these trends and better prepare for what is coming,” he adds.