July 2026 sets record for hottest ocean surface on record

The average surface temperature of the world’s oceans reached 20.96°C in July 2026, marking the highest level ever recorded, according to the European climate service Copernicus.

The report said the previous record was set in July 2023, when the average ocean surface temperature reached 20.89°C.

Experts attribute the rise primarily to the El Niño phenomenon, which is typically associated with warmer waters in the equatorial Pacific Ocean. Its effects are felt worldwide, bringing heavier rainfall to South America and the southern United States while contributing to drought in Australia, Indonesia and South Asia.

Record temperatures were not limited to the oceans. July 2026 was the second-hottest July on record, matching the level recorded in 2024. The average global air temperature was 16.9°C. The hottest July on record was recorded in 2023.

Europe was at the centre of extreme heat this summer. The highest level of weather alert was issued in parts of Eastern Europe, while Western European countries including Spain, France and Greece were hit by widespread wildfires.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov