Ocean heat records broken as hottest July temperature recorded
Global oceans recorded their hottest July on record, partly fuelled by developing El Niño conditions, as wildfires continue to ravage western Europe.
Last month, the world's oceans reached their highest ever recorded temperatures, primarily driven by developing El Niño conditions in the Pacific. The EU's climate monitoring service reported that the average sea surface temperature (SST) outside polar regions was 20.96C in July, surpassing the previous July high of 20.89C, set in 2023.
El Niño, a natural weather pattern in the Pacific, intensifies when combined with human-induced global warming, causing temperature spikes and extreme weather events. July 2026 was the second-warmest July globally on record, with temperatures 1.47C above the pre-industrial average, according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service.
Record-high sea surface temperatures were observed across much of the tropical Pacific, where El Niño conditions are strengthening. Along Europe's Atlantic coast and in the western Mediterranean, sea surface temperatures reached record highs in July, contributing to widespread strong and severe marine heatwaves. Western Europe experienced its hottest June and July ever, with prolonged hot and dry conditions fueling extreme wildfires across the region.
The UK anticipates its fifth heatwave of the year, while Europe faces its third or fourth heatwave since May. Warmer ocean waters absorb less carbon dioxide, releasing more planet-warming gas into the atmosphere, and adversely affect marine ecosystems as species move towards cooler waters. Persistent high-pressure systems in western Europe trapped heat, while dry soils reduced natural cooling, creating an intense heatwave.
France, Spain, parts of Germany, and the UK recorded exceptionally low rainfall and soil moisture, exacerbating drought conditions and river levels. The prolonged heat and dry spell has increased wildfire risk, with massive wildfires raging across western Europe and smoke affecting distant countries. In the UK, the prolonged dry spell is straining water supplies, and more areas may be declared in drought if conditions persist. Climate change is intensifying heat extremes, with hot and dry conditions reinforcing each other.
Written by urgent.news from BBC Science's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
