Global temperatures during the June-August 2025 period have made it the third hottest summer on record, according to climate experts and satellite data, while Türkiye experienced unprecedented local heat, with temperatures exceeding 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit) for the first time.
Professor Levent Kurnaz, director of Boğaziçi University’s Center for Climate Change and Policy Implementation and Research, explained that although La Nina was present at the start of the summer, its influence was weak. “In the background, there is a continuously increasing global warming effect. Therefore, even if La Nina and El Nino had not occurred, the June-August 2025 period would still have been the third hottest summer globally,” he said.
Data from the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service revealed that global average surface temperatures reached 16.6 degrees Celsius in August, 0.49 degrees Celsius above the 1991-2020 August average, marking the third hottest August on record. Last month was 0.22 degrees Celsius cooler than the hottest two Augusts recorded in 2023 and 2024, yet it remained 1.29 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels (1850-1900).
The average temperature for the June-August summer period was 0.47 degrees above the 1991-2020 average, making it the third hottest summer globally after 2023 and 2024. In Europe, temperatures averaged 0.9 degrees above normal, marking the fourth hottest summer on the continent. Western Europe, Southeastern Europe and Türkiye saw the most significant deviations from the norm.
Kurnaz noted that Türkiye experienced extreme heat for a short period despite a relatively cooler summer overall. “Globally, it is the third hottest summer, but in Türkiye, we had a very hot week, with temperatures exceeding 50 degrees Celsius in some locations. Outside of that week, temperatures were cooler than last year’s average,” he said.
Regarding Pacific Ocean conditions, Kurnaz explained that El Nino and La Nina events affect global climate patterns, but the current situation is neutral. “A slight La Nina may appear in October and continue until February next year, but in general, neutral conditions are the expected norm,” he said.
Kurnaz also emphasized the ongoing impact of global warming: “Even without El Nino or La Nina, global temperatures continue to rise. The fact that this summer is cooler than last year in some regions does not negate the overall warming trend.”
According to Kurnaz, 36 days in 2025 have already been recorded as the hottest in history, with only July 14 setting a new daily temperature record during the summer period. He also noted that the absence of a strong El Nino reduces the likelihood of frost events in Türkiye similar to those seen last year.
This data highlights the persistent trend of rising global temperatures, signaling that climate change continues to intensify extreme weather patterns worldwide.
