Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
August 2026 saw the highest global average surface air temperature on record, reaching 1.65°C above the estimated pre-industrial baseline and 1.32°C above the 20th-century average, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and multiple climate monitoring services.
Global sea surface temperatures hit unprecedented levels, while tropical cyclone activity surpassed average figures with 19 tropical storms. The El Niño climate pattern significantly fueled the record temperatures across broad areas of the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean, influencing rainfall and storm patterns worldwide.
In the northern hemisphere, the summer was the warmest recorded, while the southern hemisphere experienced a near-record warm winter. Both the Arctic and Antarctic recorded below-average sea ice coverage in August, highlighting major changes in polar conditions.
Several European countries, including France, Hungary, Romania, Serbia, and the United Kingdom, faced heatwaves and severe drought, continuing a trend of extreme heat since May. This dryness led to notably low water levels in major European rivers including the Rhine, Danube, Southern Bug, and Dnieper.
WMO forecasts indicate that El Niño is expected to intensify into a very strong event in the coming months, likely affecting rainfall and temperature patterns into 2027. The agency noted that all ten of the warmest Augusts on record have occurred since 2016, reflecting an ongoing trend of rising global temperatures.
Climate data comes from the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Service, the United States' NOAA, NASA, and others. The WMO plans to present further climate updates at the upcoming UN climate conference, COP31, in Antalya, Turkey.