Overview
- Copernicus measurements show global sea-surface temperature reached 20.86°C on June 21, 2026, the highest value recorded for June and slightly above 2024 levels.
- The U.S. Climate Prediction Center declared El Niño conditions in early July 2026, a shift that can move stored ocean heat into the atmosphere over the coming months.
- Scientists report a large Pacific marine heatwave that has expanded across wide swaths of the ocean and is estimated in some accounts to cover about 13.5% of the planet’s surface.
- Climate models and the World Meteorological Organization place a high probability that 2026–2030 will include years above 1.5°C relative to preindustrial levels and say a strong El Niño could make 2027 the warmest year on record.
- Warmer seas reduce the ocean’s capacity to buffer heat, increase evaporation that fuels storms and heavy rain, raise coastal sea levels, and threaten fisheries and coastal communities in the months ahead.