Record High Ocean Temperatures

The average sea surface temperature worldwide, excluding the polar regions, reached a record high in July. According to the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service, the global sea surface temperature exceeded the previous July record set in 2023. Sea surface temperatures in the Atlantic coast and Western Mediterranean also reached record levels in July. Severe marine heatwaves were reported in European seas. The global surface air temperature in July 2026 was only 0.01 degrees lower than in July 2024. Therefore, July 2026 and July 2024 are considered to be among the second-hottest Julys on record. According to Copernicus, Western Europe experienced the warmest two-month period on record in June and July. The temperature in the first two summer months of 2026 was 2.79 degrees above the seasonal norm, surpassing the previous record set four years ago and highlighting the 'unprecedented temperature persistence' since the start of summer. Experts state that the summer of 2026 is a clear example of how climate change exacerbates extreme weather events, and the drought has also reduced the natural cooling capacity of the soil.