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2019 was the hottest year on record for Europe as global warming trends continue, major analysis has shown.

The report released on Wednesday by the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) reveals that 11 of the 12 warmest years on record for the continent have occurred since 2000.

It also shows a clear warming trend for Europe stretching back over four decades.

Last year, the UK witnessed its hottest day on record with temperatures hitting 38.7C at Cambridge Royal Botanical Gardens on July 26.

European heatwave 2019 - In pictures 60 show all European heatwave 2019 - In pictures 1/60 People cool off in the sea in Nice as a heatwave hits France Reuters 2/60 Festivalgoers relax in the sunshine at the Glastonbury Festival EPA 3/60 A woman cools off at a fountain in downtown Turin, Ital EPA 4/60 Festival goers enjoying the sun during Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm, PA 5/60 Young people cool off in a fountain in Lustgarten park during sweltering heat in Berlin, German Getty Images 6/60 People walk at La Concha beach in the northern Spanish city of San Sebastian in the scorching heat AFP/Getty Images 7/60 People sunbath in front of the Louvre Pyramid (Pyramide du Louvre) during a heatwave in Paris AFP/Getty Images 8/60 People cool off at a lake in Haltern am See, western Germany AFP/Getty Images 9/60 People cool off at a fountain at the yard of the Zwinger palace in Dresden, German EPA 10/60 People cool off at a open-air swimming pool in Haltern am See, western Germany AFP/Getty Images 11/60 Temperatures are expected to reach the upper 20s during Glastonbury. PA 12/60 Children cool down at the fountains of Parc Andre Citroen, during a heatwave in Paris, France EPA 13/60 A dog cools off in a water fountain at Parc de Sa Riera in Palma de Mallorca AFP/Getty Images 14/60 People jump from a bridge in the Aare River during the sunny and warm weather, in Bern. Switzerland AP 15/60 People play with a ball next to the lake Geneva on a hot summer day at sunset in Lausanne, Switzerland, EPA 16/60 People jump into the lake Geneva on a hot summer day at sunset in Saint Saphorin, Switzerland EPA 17/60 Men enjoy themselves at the beach, as a heatwave hits Spain, in Malaga. Reuters 18/60 A girl cools down in the fountains of Trocadero, across from the Eiffel Tower, during a heatwave in Paris. EPA 19/60 A tourist adjusts her hair while walking under the sun in front of the Colosseum in Rome. AFP/Getty Images 20/60 People crowd the beach at the Baltic Sea in Binz, Germany AP 21/60 A man takes a selfie picture with a mobile-phone as he stands in the middle of the Trocadero fountain in Paris. AFP/Getty Images 22/60 Youngsters sunbathe and cool themselves down in a pond at the Trocadero esplanade in Paris AFP/Getty Images 23/60 Nuns stand in the shadow of an umbrella and use a fan to protect from the heat on a hot summer day before attending the Pope's weekly general audience at Saint Peter's square at the Vatican AFP/Getty Images 24/60 People visit a swimming pool in the center of Lyon, central France AP 25/60 A display shows the temperature of 36 degree Celsius at a swimming pool in Essen, western Germany AFP/Getty Images 26/60 A Bishop in Colombia wants to spray holy water from a helicopter to exorcise demons from his town. AFP/Getty Images 27/60 People sun bath on the bank of the river Seine AFP/Getty Images 28/60 People cool off in Lake Wanasee in Berlin AFP/Getty Images 29/60 A polar bear named Nanook jumps in the water at the zoo in Gelsenkirchen, western Germany AFP/Getty Images 30/60 A visitor of Green Park in London lays in the sun, AP 31/60 People exercise in Green Park in London AP 32/60 Tourists shelter from the sun as they walk down the Spanish Steps in Rome AP 33/60 People enjoy the sunny and warm weather on the beach plage des Eaux-Vives on the shore of Lake of Geneva EPA 34/60 A man drinks from Bernini's 17th-century Barcaccia fountain, at the foot of the Spanish Steps AP 35/60 Kids cool down in a stream in the English Garden in Munich AP 36/60 Visitors swim in a swimming pool in Essen, western German AFP/Getty Images 37/60 People cool off in the fountains at the Andre Citroen park in Paris Reuters 38/60 People cool off in the Trocadero fountains across from the Eiffel Tower in Paris Reuters 39/60 People enjoy the sunny and warm weather on the plage des Eaux-Vives, on the shore of the Lake of Geneva, Switzerland AP 40/60 Boys jump into the canal near Reims, northeastern France, as temperatures soar AFP/Getty Images 41/60 A woman cools off in a fountain in Alexander Garden near the Kremlin Wall in Moscow, Russia AP 42/60 An elephant refreshes itself in a pool in its enclosure in the Opel zoo in Kronberg near Frankfurt, Germany, AP 43/60 AFP/Getty Images 44/60 Children play in a fountain during a hot summer day in Madrid, Spain EPA 45/60 People cool off in a swimming pool in Hannover, western Germany AFP/Getty Images 46/60 People the beach in Cuxhaven, northern Germany, AFP/Getty Images 47/60 Boys jump in the water at the Snail on Amager in Copenhagen, Denmar EPA 48/60 A woman and her child bathe at Amager Strandpark in Copenhagen, Denmark Reuters 49/60 Children jump into the water of Lake Geneva play to cool off during the sunny and warm weather, in Lutry, Switzerland, EPA 50/60 A teenager swims in the fountain of the Trocadero esplanade in Paris AFP/Getty Images 51/60 A woman cools off in the fountain of Trocadero in Paris AP 52/60 People enjoy the sunny and warm weather on the Bains des Paquis on the shore of Lake of Geneva EPA 53/60 A couple sails a rented electric boat on the Old Danube (Alte Donnau), a subsidiary of the Danube river, in Vienna, Austria AFP/Getty Images 54/60 A woman drinks water during sunset, as a heatwave hits France, in Cagnicourt near Cambrai, France Reuters 55/60 people enjoying the evening on the shore of lake Walensee in Walenstadt, Switzerland EPA 56/60 A youth enjoying the evening on lake Walensee in Walenstadt, Switzerland, EPA 57/60 A man cools off at a fountain in downtown Rome as a heatwave hits Italy Reuters 58/60 A boy jumps from a diving board in to a swimming pool in Goettingen, western Germany AFP/Getty Images 59/60 People cool off at a fountain in downtown Rome as a heatwave hits Italy Reuters 60/60 People jump into the Marecottes swimming pool on a hot summer day in the village of Les Marecottes in Valais, Switzerland EPA 1/60 People cool off in the sea in Nice as a heatwave hits France Reuters 2/60 Festivalgoers relax in the sunshine at the Glastonbury Festival EPA 3/60 A woman cools off at a fountain in downtown Turin, Ital EPA 4/60 Festival goers enjoying the sun during Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm, PA 5/60 Young people cool off in a fountain in Lustgarten park during sweltering heat in Berlin, German Getty Images 6/60 People walk at La Concha beach in the northern Spanish city of San Sebastian in the scorching heat AFP/Getty Images 7/60 People sunbath in front of the Louvre Pyramid (Pyramide du Louvre) during a heatwave in Paris AFP/Getty Images 8/60 People cool off at a lake in Haltern am See, western Germany AFP/Getty Images 9/60 People cool off at a fountain at the yard of the Zwinger palace in Dresden, German EPA 10/60 People cool off at a open-air swimming pool in Haltern am See, western Germany AFP/Getty Images 11/60 Temperatures are expected to reach the upper 20s during Glastonbury. PA 12/60 Children cool down at the fountains of Parc Andre Citroen, during a heatwave in Paris, France EPA 13/60 A dog cools off in a water fountain at Parc de Sa Riera in Palma de Mallorca AFP/Getty Images 14/60 People jump from a bridge in the Aare River during the sunny and warm weather, in Bern. Switzerland AP 15/60 People play with a ball next to the lake Geneva on a hot summer day at sunset in Lausanne, Switzerland, EPA 16/60 People jump into the lake Geneva on a hot summer day at sunset in Saint Saphorin, Switzerland EPA 17/60 Men enjoy themselves at the beach, as a heatwave hits Spain, in Malaga. Reuters 18/60 A girl cools down in the fountains of Trocadero, across from the Eiffel Tower, during a heatwave in Paris. EPA 19/60 A tourist adjusts her hair while walking under the sun in front of the Colosseum in Rome. AFP/Getty Images 20/60 People crowd the beach at the Baltic Sea in Binz, Germany AP 21/60 A man takes a selfie picture with a mobile-phone as he stands in the middle of the Trocadero fountain in Paris. AFP/Getty Images 22/60 Youngsters sunbathe and cool themselves down in a pond at the Trocadero esplanade in Paris AFP/Getty Images 23/60 Nuns stand in the shadow of an umbrella and use a fan to protect from the heat on a hot summer day before attending the Pope's weekly general audience at Saint Peter's square at the Vatican AFP/Getty Images 24/60 People visit a swimming pool in the center of Lyon, central France AP 25/60 A display shows the temperature of 36 degree Celsius at a swimming pool in Essen, western Germany AFP/Getty Images 26/60 A Bishop in Colombia wants to spray holy water from a helicopter to exorcise demons from his town. AFP/Getty Images 27/60 People sun bath on the bank of the river Seine AFP/Getty Images 28/60 People cool off in Lake Wanasee in Berlin AFP/Getty Images 29/60 A polar bear named Nanook jumps in the water at the zoo in Gelsenkirchen, western Germany AFP/Getty Images 30/60 A visitor of Green Park in London lays in the sun, AP 31/60 People exercise in Green Park in London AP 32/60 Tourists shelter from the sun as they walk down the Spanish Steps in Rome AP 33/60 People enjoy the sunny and warm weather on the beach plage des Eaux-Vives on the shore of Lake of Geneva EPA 34/60 A man drinks from Bernini's 17th-century Barcaccia fountain, at the foot of the Spanish Steps AP 35/60 Kids cool down in a stream in the English Garden in Munich AP 36/60 Visitors swim in a swimming pool in Essen, western German AFP/Getty Images 37/60 People cool off in the fountains at the Andre Citroen park in Paris Reuters 38/60 People cool off in the Trocadero fountains across from the Eiffel Tower in Paris Reuters 39/60 People enjoy the sunny and warm weather on the plage des Eaux-Vives, on the shore of the Lake of Geneva, Switzerland AP 40/60 Boys jump into the canal near Reims, northeastern France, as temperatures soar AFP/Getty Images 41/60 A woman cools off in a fountain in Alexander Garden near the Kremlin Wall in Moscow, Russia AP 42/60 An elephant refreshes itself in a pool in its enclosure in the Opel zoo in Kronberg near Frankfurt, Germany, AP 43/60 AFP/Getty Images 44/60 Children play in a fountain during a hot summer day in Madrid, Spain EPA 45/60 People cool off in a swimming pool in Hannover, western Germany AFP/Getty Images 46/60 People the beach in Cuxhaven, northern Germany, AFP/Getty Images 47/60 Boys jump in the water at the Snail on Amager in Copenhagen, Denmar EPA 48/60 A woman and her child bathe at Amager Strandpark in Copenhagen, Denmark Reuters 49/60 Children jump into the water of Lake Geneva play to cool off during the sunny and warm weather, in Lutry, Switzerland, EPA 50/60 A teenager swims in the fountain of the Trocadero esplanade in Paris AFP/Getty Images 51/60 A woman cools off in the fountain of Trocadero in Paris AP 52/60 People enjoy the sunny and warm weather on the Bains des Paquis on the shore of Lake of Geneva EPA 53/60 A couple sails a rented electric boat on the Old Danube (Alte Donnau), a subsidiary of the Danube river, in Vienna, Austria AFP/Getty Images 54/60 A woman drinks water during sunset, as a heatwave hits France, in Cagnicourt near Cambrai, France Reuters 55/60 people enjoying the evening on the shore of lake Walensee in Walenstadt, Switzerland EPA 56/60 A youth enjoying the evening on lake Walensee in Walenstadt, Switzerland, EPA 57/60 A man cools off at a fountain in downtown Rome as a heatwave hits Italy Reuters 58/60 A boy jumps from a diving board in to a swimming pool in Goettingen, western Germany AFP/Getty Images 59/60 People cool off at a fountain in downtown Rome as a heatwave hits Italy Reuters 60/60 People jump into the Marecottes swimming pool on a hot summer day in the village of Les Marecottes in Valais, Switzerland EPA

The country also saw a record temperature in the middle of winter with a Met Office observation post in north Scotland recording 16.8C at 3am on December 28 - well above the average nighttime temperature of zero degrees for that area in late December.

Average global temperatures for the past five years are 1.1C above pre-industrial levels, the EU report shows.

However, Europe is actually outstripping that, averaging almost 2C warmer than the levels in the benchmark period of the latter 19th century.

The global Paris Agreement on tackling climate change commits countries to hold temperature rises to "well below" 2C above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to curb warming to 1.5C.

In 2019, there were weather extremes including periods of exceptional heat in February, June and July, leading to record-breaking high temperatures, the report shows.

UK Heatwave: July 2019 - In pictures 46 show all UK Heatwave: July 2019 - In pictures 1/46 A packed Brighton beach in the sunshine Getty Images 2/46 Swimmers at the Serpentine Lido in Hyde Park Matt Writtle 3/46 People punt under the Bridge of Sighs at St. John's College in Cambridge on the River Cam PA 4/46 People enjoy the hot weather in Hyde Park PA 5/46 A man and two women canoe up the Thames approaching the bridge at Hose Fair, near Kingston-upon-Thames PA 6/46 People enjoy the hot weather on Brighton Beach PA 7/46 Swimmers at the Serpentine Lido in Hyde Park Matt Writtle 8/46 People enjoy the hot weather in central Manchester PA 9/46 Victora Parkes and Rachel Crossland on Scarborough beach PA 10/46 Children sit in the sun by 'The Friendly Giant', a pond sculpture situated in Alnwick Gardens in Anwick, Northumberland PA 11/46 Hyde Park Alex Lentati 12/46 Scarborough beach PA 13/46 People enjoy the hot weather on the South Bank close to The Tate Modern Nigel Howard 14/46 The sun rises over the Thames estuary at Gravesend SplashNews.com 15/46 Charlotte Burniston and Justin McNicholas on Scarborough beach PA 16/46 People enjoy the hot weather on the South Bank close to The Tate Modern Nigel Howard 17/46 Gemma Moore and Leon Charlton on Scarborough beach PA 18/46 The sun rises over Burton Dassett Hills in Southam, Warwickshire PA 19/46 Sunbathing on Primrose Hill Matt Writtle 20/46 Youths cool off on Brighton beach Getty Images 21/46 The heatwave hits the London Underground Nigel Howard 22/46 Dramatic multiple lightning strikes over The Shard Alamy Live News 23/46 Revellers enjoying Scarborough Beach PA 24/46 People enjoy a water fountain in a park in Windsor AP 25/46 Crowds decend onto the beach at West Bay in Dorset as the temprature rises during the first week of the school hollidays Rex Features 26/46 Ernie Ward jumps into the water at Ilkley outdoor pool and lido in West Yorkshire as the UK is expected to edge towards its hottest ever July day, with the mercury due to soar above 30C (86F) PA 27/46 Brighton Rex Features 28/46 Sun drenched crowded beach at Weymouth, Dorset Rex Features 29/46 Brighton Rex Features 30/46 A tiger at London Zoo cools off in the water London Zoo 31/46 People play in the water at Ilkley outdoor pool and lido in West Yorkshire as the UK is expected to edge towards its hottest ever July day, with the mercury due to soar above 30C (86F) PA 32/46 Brighton Rex Features 33/46 People enjoy punting through Westgate Gardens in Canterbury, Kent, as temperatures are expected to rise over the UK this week PA 34/46 Primates at London Zoo are given ice-lollies, made of frozen fruit tea or sugar free cordial to keep cool London Zoo 35/46 People in the sun at English Heritage's Warkworth Castle in Northumberland as temperatures are expected to rise over the UK this week PA 36/46 Sunbathers relax in the sunshine on the beach in Folkestone, Kent, as the UK is expected to edge towards its hottest ever July day, with the mercury due to soar above 30C (86F PA 37/46 Horse-riders take part in the Crusaders' Chase at dusk on Musselburgh beach at the start of the week-long Musselburgh Festiva PA 38/46 A view of the Loggia at Hever Castle in Kent through new flower meadows, as the UK is expected to edge towards its hottest ever July day, with the mercury due to soar above 30C (86F). PA 39/46 The heatwave hits the London Underground Nigel Howard 40/46 The heatwave hits the London Underground PA 41/46 Lightning strikes over Canary Wharf Alamy Live News 42/46 Youths cool off on Brighton beach Getty Images 43/46 A packed Brighton beach in the sunshine Getty Images 44/46 People enjoy a boat ride along the River Thames in Windsor AP 45/46 A packed Brighton beach in the sunshine Getty Images 46/46 A couple enjoy the sunshine on Brighton Palace Pier Getty Images 1/46 A packed Brighton beach in the sunshine Getty Images 2/46 Swimmers at the Serpentine Lido in Hyde Park Matt Writtle 3/46 People punt under the Bridge of Sighs at St. John's College in Cambridge on the River Cam PA 4/46 People enjoy the hot weather in Hyde Park PA 5/46 A man and two women canoe up the Thames approaching the bridge at Hose Fair, near Kingston-upon-Thames PA 6/46 People enjoy the hot weather on Brighton Beach PA 7/46 Swimmers at the Serpentine Lido in Hyde Park Matt Writtle 8/46 People enjoy the hot weather in central Manchester PA 9/46 Victora Parkes and Rachel Crossland on Scarborough beach PA 10/46 Children sit in the sun by 'The Friendly Giant', a pond sculpture situated in Alnwick Gardens in Anwick, Northumberland PA 11/46 Hyde Park Alex Lentati 12/46 Scarborough beach PA 13/46 People enjoy the hot weather on the South Bank close to The Tate Modern Nigel Howard 14/46 The sun rises over the Thames estuary at Gravesend SplashNews.com 15/46 Charlotte Burniston and Justin McNicholas on Scarborough beach PA 16/46 People enjoy the hot weather on the South Bank close to The Tate Modern Nigel Howard 17/46 Gemma Moore and Leon Charlton on Scarborough beach PA 18/46 The sun rises over Burton Dassett Hills in Southam, Warwickshire PA 19/46 Sunbathing on Primrose Hill Matt Writtle 20/46 Youths cool off on Brighton beach Getty Images 21/46 The heatwave hits the London Underground Nigel Howard 22/46 Dramatic multiple lightning strikes over The Shard Alamy Live News 23/46 Revellers enjoying Scarborough Beach PA 24/46 People enjoy a water fountain in a park in Windsor AP 25/46 Crowds decend onto the beach at West Bay in Dorset as the temprature rises during the first week of the school hollidays Rex Features 26/46 Ernie Ward jumps into the water at Ilkley outdoor pool and lido in West Yorkshire as the UK is expected to edge towards its hottest ever July day, with the mercury due to soar above 30C (86F) PA 27/46 Brighton Rex Features 28/46 Sun drenched crowded beach at Weymouth, Dorset Rex Features 29/46 Brighton Rex Features 30/46 A tiger at London Zoo cools off in the water London Zoo 31/46 People play in the water at Ilkley outdoor pool and lido in West Yorkshire as the UK is expected to edge towards its hottest ever July day, with the mercury due to soar above 30C (86F) PA 32/46 Brighton Rex Features 33/46 People enjoy punting through Westgate Gardens in Canterbury, Kent, as temperatures are expected to rise over the UK this week PA 34/46 Primates at London Zoo are given ice-lollies, made of frozen fruit tea or sugar free cordial to keep cool London Zoo 35/46 People in the sun at English Heritage's Warkworth Castle in Northumberland as temperatures are expected to rise over the UK this week PA 36/46 Sunbathers relax in the sunshine on the beach in Folkestone, Kent, as the UK is expected to edge towards its hottest ever July day, with the mercury due to soar above 30C (86F PA 37/46 Horse-riders take part in the Crusaders' Chase at dusk on Musselburgh beach at the start of the week-long Musselburgh Festiva PA 38/46 A view of the Loggia at Hever Castle in Kent through new flower meadows, as the UK is expected to edge towards its hottest ever July day, with the mercury due to soar above 30C (86F). PA 39/46 The heatwave hits the London Underground Nigel Howard 40/46 The heatwave hits the London Underground PA 41/46 Lightning strikes over Canary Wharf Alamy Live News 42/46 Youths cool off on Brighton beach Getty Images 43/46 A packed Brighton beach in the sunshine Getty Images 44/46 People enjoy a boat ride along the River Thames in Windsor AP 45/46 A packed Brighton beach in the sunshine Getty Images 46/46 A couple enjoy the sunshine on Brighton Palace Pier Getty Images

The UK was among the countries which saw heatwaves in those months, including a new record temperature for the country of 38.7C set in Cambridge in late July.

And one of the wettest Novembers on record brought up to four times the normal amount of rain in Western and Southern Europe.

Commenting on the report, Professor Hannah Cloke, a natural hazards researcher at Reading University, said that even with the variations in weather in recent decades, there was an ongoing trend of warming and record-breaking weather extremes.

Students in Climate Change Protest at Parliament Square - In pictures 22 show all Students in Climate Change Protest at Parliament Square - In pictures 1/22 PA 2/22 PA 3/22 AFP/Getty Images 4/22 AFP/Getty Images 5/22 AFP/Getty Images 6/22 Getty Images 7/22 Getty Images 8/22 Getty Images 9/22 Getty Images 10/22 Getty Images 11/22 AFP/Getty Images 12/22 Getty Images 13/22 AFP/Getty Images 14/22 Getty Images 15/22 Getty Images 16/22 AFP/Getty Images 17/22 Getty Images 18/22 PA 19/22 PA 20/22 PA 21/22 PA 22/22 PA 1/22 PA 2/22 PA 3/22 AFP/Getty Images 4/22 AFP/Getty Images 5/22 AFP/Getty Images 6/22 Getty Images 7/22 Getty Images 8/22 Getty Images 9/22 Getty Images 10/22 Getty Images 11/22 AFP/Getty Images 12/22 Getty Images 13/22 AFP/Getty Images 14/22 Getty Images 15/22 Getty Images 16/22 AFP/Getty Images 17/22 Getty Images 18/22 PA 19/22 PA 20/22 PA 21/22 PA 22/22 PA

And she warned: "In lockdown, sitting on our sofas or our makeshift desks or in many more difficult situations, it would be easy for us to take our eyes off this alarming reality; that 2019 was the warmest year on record for Europe, that November brought us massively more precipitation than normal.

"And for every decade I have been on this planet it has been getting hotter and hotter and hotter."

Prof Rowan Sutton, from the National Centre for Atmospheric Science (NCAS) at the University of Reading, said Europe has been warming significantly faster than the global average.

"This is for two reasons: First, land regions in general are warming faster than the oceans, largely because the greater availability of moisture over the oceans damps the rate of warming.

"Secondly, reductions in specific forms of air pollution, 'anthropogenic aerosols', have contributed to the recent warming in Europe, particularly in summer."

C3S is implemented by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts on behalf of the European Commission.