August 12, 2026 at 6:00 a.m. EDTJust now
Few places around the world have experienced more unusual heat and drought recently than Europe. A record late-spring heat dome was a harbinger. Then the heat domes just kept coming.
These extreme conditions have turned once-lush landscapes dusty brown — and led to record-low water levels in Europe’s major rivers, according to the European Space Programme. The Seine, Rhine and Danube rivers have been particularly affected.