Earth Records Hottest August Ever As Global Temperatures Hit New High

Earth Records Hottest August Ever as Global Temperatures Hit New High Earth has experienced its hottest August on record, with global temperatures also tying the record for the hottest month ever recorded, according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service C3S. The European climate monitoring agency said August 2026 had a global average surface air temperature of 16.96°C, making it the warmest August in the ERA5 climate dataset, which extends back to 1940. August 2026 was not only the hottest August on record but also the joint-warmest month ever recorded globally, matching July 2023. The difference between the two months was less than 0.01°C, with August edging above July 2026 despite July typically being the warmest calendar month globally. The latest figure surpassed the previous August record, set jointly in 2023 and 2024, when the global average temperature reached 16.82°C. Copernicus said August was 1.65°C above the estimated pre-industrial average for 1850–1900. It marked the first month since November 2025 in which global temperatures exceeded the 1.5°C level relative to the pre-industrial baseline. Scientists caution that a single month above 1.5°C does not mean the Paris Agreement temperature limit has been permanently breached, which is assessed over much longer periods. The extreme temperatures were accompanied by exceptionally warm oceans. Average sea surface temperatures across the extra-polar oceans reached 21.07°C in August, the highest recorded for the month. The figure also tied the record for the highest monthly average across all calendar months. Copernicus said the rapidly warming tropical Pacific was particularly significant, with El Niño conditions intensifying and expected to strengthen further in the coming months. The global heat record came as western Europe experienced its hottest summer on record. Copernicus said the June-to-August average for western Europe reached 21.69°C, surpassing the previous record set in 2003. The region experienced repeated heatwaves, while dry conditions contributed to drought, wildfires and exceptionally low river flows in several countries. Despite the extreme August temperatures, 2026 is currently ranked as the second-warmest year on record based on global temperatures from January through August. Copernicus said the year remains behind 2024 but ahead of 2023, while warning that strengthening El Niño conditions could push temperatures higher during the final months of the year. The latest findings add to mounting evidence of continued global warming, with record temperatures increasingly affecting land, oceans and ecosystems around the world.