BRUSSELS — The world experienced its joint-hottest month ever recorded in August, with global temperatures reaching levels more than 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, scientists said.
Data from the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service showed that August 2026 tied with July 2023 as the hottest month ever recorded globally, while also becoming the hottest August on record.
The global average surface air temperature reached 16.96 degrees Celsius, or 1.65 degrees Celsius above the estimated pre-industrial average.
Global Temperatures Rise Above 1.5C Again
August marked the first month since November 2025 in which global temperatures exceeded 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
Scientists stressed that a single month above the threshold does not mean the long-term Paris Agreement temperature target has officially been permanently breached, as the goal is measured over longer periods.
Still, the figures highlight the continued intensity of global warming and the increasing frequency of extreme temperature records.
Record Heat Spreads Across Land and Sea
The extreme temperatures were not limited to land.
Average sea surface temperatures across the extra-polar oceans reached 21.07 degrees Celsius in August, the highest ever recorded for the month and tied for the highest monthly average across all calendar months.
The tropical Pacific also experienced exceptionally high sea temperatures as a strong El Niño continued to develop, adding further warming pressure to an already overheated climate system.
Western Europe Records Its Hottest Summer
Western Europe experienced its warmest summer on record, surpassing the previous record set in 2003.
The region endured persistent heatwaves, drought and exceptionally low river levels. Severe dry conditions affected countries including France, the United Kingdom, Hungary, Romania and Serbia.
Major rivers, including sections of the Rhine, Danube and Dnieper, recorded exceptionally low flows as drought conditions intensified across large parts of Europe.
Climate Change Remains the Main Driver
Scientists said the continued burning of coal, oil and natural gas remains the main cause behind the long-term rise in global temperatures.
El Niño is contributing additional short-term warming, but researchers say human-driven climate change remains the dominant force behind the escalating global heat.
The combination is increasing the risk of more intense heatwaves, droughts, wildfires and other extreme weather events around the world.
The Bottom Line
August 2026 has joined July 2023 as the hottest month ever recorded globally.
With temperatures reaching 1.65 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, record ocean heat and Western Europe’s hottest summer on record, the latest data offers another stark warning about the accelerating impacts of climate change.
The world is not just breaking temperature records more often — extreme heat is increasingly becoming a defining feature of the global climate.
WWC ONE MEDIA J.M.D
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