{
  "id": 457735,
  "title": "Ocean heat records broken as hottest July temperature recorded",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/10/ocean-heat-records-broken-as-hottest-july-temperature-recorded",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-08-10T10:24:46.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "BBC Science",
    "slug": "bbc-science",
    "url": "https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cpvw8vmmgrwo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "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.",
  "summary": "The world's oceans recorded their hottest temperatures ever in July, with an average sea surface temperature of 20.96C, surpassing the previous July high of 20.89C set in 2023. This record-breaking heat is partly attributed to the developing El Niño conditions in the Pacific, which, when combined with human-driven global warming, can cause temperature spikes and more extreme weather. July 2026 was also the joint second-warmest July globally on record, with temperatures 1.47C above the pre-industrial average. The unusually high sea temperatures, especially in the tropical Pacific, have led to widespread marine heatwaves along the Atlantic coast and in the western Mediterranean. The combination of extreme heat and drought in western Europe has resulted in record-breaking temperatures, with the average for June and July reaching 21.62C, 2.79C above the average.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 4,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Yale Environment 360",
        "title": "Last Month Was the Hottest July on Record for the World's Oceans",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/10/last-month-was-the-hottest-july-on-record-for-the-worlds-oceans",
        "published": "2026-08-10T12:32:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "PBS NewsHour Science",
        "title": "NOAA says contiguous U.S. set record in July for hottest month ever",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/10/noaa-says-contiguous-u-s-set-record-in-july-for-hottest-month-ever",
        "published": "2026-08-10T18:03:12.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Phys.org",
        "title": "US had hottest month on record in July",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/10/us-had-hottest-month-on-record-in-july",
        "published": "2026-08-10T22:40:01.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "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."
}