900 million people experienced their hottest July on record in 2026

Tuesday 11 August 2026 - 11:06

By: Sahili Aya

900 million people experienced their hottest July on record in 2026

Around 900 million people worldwide experienced their hottest July ever recorded in 2026, as exceptional temperatures affected large parts of Africa, Europe and the Americas.

The extreme heat was particularly pronounced in the Sahel, where several countries recorded unprecedented July temperatures. Meteorological agencies in a number of affected nations reported temperatures reaching levels not previously observed since systematic records began.

Sahel bears the brunt of record temperatures

Africa accounted for approximately 400 million of the people living in areas that experienced their hottest July on record.

The strongest anomalies were concentrated across the Sahel and surrounding regions. Ten countries recorded their highest July temperatures, stretching from Mauritania, Niger and Burkina Faso in the west to Sudan, Kenya and Ethiopia farther east.

In countries including Chad and Sudan, average July temperatures were more than 2°C above the 1981-2010 reference period, illustrating the extraordinary scale of the heat anomaly.

The consequences extend beyond temperature records. Persistent heat can intensify water shortages, place pressure on agricultural production and increase health risks, particularly for populations already exposed to food and water insecurity.

Americas also experience exceptional heat

Central America and northern South America were also affected by unusually high temperatures.

Approximately 110 million people, from Mexico through northern Brazil and toward the Pacific coast and the Guiana plateau, experienced their hottest July in the available records.

The extreme conditions coincided with the return of the naturally occurring El Niño climate pattern, which began in June and is expected to reach its strongest phase toward the end of the year.

The heat is raising concerns about food security. The United Nations' World Food Programme has warned that Central America could become the region most severely affected in relative terms by worsening food insecurity.

Including the Caribbean, an additional 16 million people could face increased food insecurity by the end of 2027, according to the figures cited.

Europe records another exceptional summer

Europe was not spared. Nearly 120 million Europeans were living in regions where July 2026 became the hottest July ever recorded, with the United Kingdom, France and Spain among the countries most affected.

France recorded temperatures as much as 3.8°C above its 1991-2020 average. That reference period itself was already warmer than the pre-industrial baseline generally calculated for 1850-1900.

The heat was accompanied by severe drought conditions in parts of France and Spain, creating conditions favorable to major wildfires.

Record heat fuels wildfire threat

In France, a major wildfire at the end of July reportedly burned almost 42,000 hectares and forced more than 220,000 people to evacuate in Gironde, in the country's southwest.

Spain simultaneously faced one of the largest fires in its recent history, with nearly 44,000 hectares burned in Ávila province, near Madrid.

The combination of extreme temperatures, dry conditions and vegetation stress demonstrates how prolonged heat can amplify the risk and intensity of wildfires.

A global warning from regional extremes

The geographic spread of record-breaking heat in July illustrates how extreme temperature events are affecting hundreds of millions of people across different climate zones.

While individual weather events can have multiple causes, the growing frequency and intensity of exceptional heat are increasingly important indicators for climate scientists and policymakers.

For communities already vulnerable to drought, food insecurity or limited access to water, another season of record temperatures can have consequences that extend well beyond the summer months.