Subscribe
Global sea surface temperatures (SST) in July 2026 outside the polar regions were the highest on record for the month, according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) implemented by the European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF). This was partly caused by the strengthening El Nino conditions in the Equatorial Pacific Ocean.
July was also the second warmest on record on a global scale, with western Europe experiencing its hottest June-July period on record, continuing an extended period of heat waves, dry conditions, reduced soil moisture and consequent wildfires in the summer season of 2026.
The average SST for oceans between 60°N and 60°S latitudes in July was 20.96°C, breaking the previous record of 20.89°C set in July 2023. The SST around Europe reached record levels for July along the Atlantic and western Mediterranean coasts, the rise associated with extensive and severe marine heatwaves.
El Nino conditions in the Equatorial Pacific Ocean are intensifying rapidly, according to many global and regional weather and climate agencies and climate scientists. According to some estimates, the El Nino of 2026 is already hotter than the peak temperatures of the super El Nino of 1997-98. The rapid strengthening of the El Nino could be one of the reasons for the increase in regional and global SST apart from warming induced by greenhouse gas emissions from human activities.
In terms of global average surface air temperature, July 2026 was the second warmest July month on record, tied with 2024 and behind July 2023. The average surface air temperature for July 2026 was 16.90°C. This was 0.67°C above the 1991-2020 average and 1.47°C above the pre-industrial (1850-1900) average .
Western Europe recorded its warmest June-July period in 2026. The average surface air temperature for the western parts of the continent was 21.62°C, which was 2.79°C above average. The region also experienced its third and fourth heat waves for the year in July.
Large parts of Europe continued to be drier than average in July, conditions that were also prevalent in June and parts of May. This covered much of western Europe and large parts of central Europe, especially parts of the Iberian Peninsula, France, Germany, Austria and Hungary. The United Kingdom, Ireland, parts of Iceland and the Benelux region comprising of Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg were also exceptionally dry during July.
Another alarming situation was with the decrease in surface soil moisture in western Europe which were lowest since 2022 — the last year when Europe had experienced sever drought conditions. “Other drier-than-average regions included parts of southern Scandinavia and a large area to the east of the Caspian Sea,” as per C3S.
Drier-than-average conditions also prevailed in other parts of the world in July. This included parts of northern Canada, central United States, the Maghreb, part of the Horn of Africa, Siberia, south-central Asia, parts of inner China, parts of Argentina, Uruguay and Bolivia, according to C3S.