{
  "id": 3519909,
  "title": "World’s Oceans Hit Record Heat as El Niño Intensifies, Putting Colombia at Risk",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/26/worlds-oceans-hit-record-heat-as-el-nino-intensifies-putting-colombia",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-08-26T13:45:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Colombia One",
    "slug": "colombia-one",
    "url": "https://colombiaone.com/2026/08/26/worlds-oceans-record-heat-el-nino-colombia/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The world's oceans have hit a record high temperature of 21.1°C (70°F), signaling the intensifying effects of El Niño, according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service. This August peak surpasses the previous record set in March 2024. El Niño, a natural climate phenomenon, is occurring alongside human-caused climate change, which has steadily increased ocean temperatures over decades. As a result, Colombia is facing heightened risks of heat, reduced water availability, and wildfires. The country has declared a national disaster situation and identified 558 municipalities at high or very high risk of drinking-water shortages. The record ocean heat, combined with El Niño, adds to the long-term warming caused by human activities, creating a climate system where natural variability can exacerbate already elevated temperatures.",
  "summary": "Global ocean temperatures have reached their highest level on record, with the average surface temperature rising to 21.1°C (70°F) on Aug. 22, according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service. The reading surpassed the previous record of 21.09°C set in March 2024. The unusual August peak comes as a strong El Niño develops in the tropical […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}