(CNN) Germany recorded its highest-ever June temperature on Wednesday, as much of continental Europe contends with a major heat wave.

The German Weather Service said the mercury hit 38.6 degrees Celsius (101.5 Fahrenheit) at 2:50 p.m. local time in Coschen, on the country's border with Poland.

The previous record stood at 38.5 Celsius (101.3 Fahrenheit), which was measured in 1947 in Bühlertal, which lies close to France.

The longevity of the previous record -- 72 years -- shows just how unusual and intense the current heat wave is in Europe. Any sign of quick relief is not on cards either.

Climate scientists have warned that heat waves such as this one are becoming more frequent and increasingly severe because of the climate crisis. Météo-France, the French national weather authority, said the frequency of such events is expected to double by 2050.

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