Global ocean surface temperature hits record high in August 2026

The world's oceans have reached their highest recorded surface temperature, with global sea surface temperatures hitting 21.1 degrees Celsius (70 degrees Fahrenheit) on August 22, 2026. The record, confirmed by the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service, surpasses the previous daily high of 21.09 degrees Celsius set in March 2024. Scientists attribute the unprecedented warmth to a combination of human-caused climate change and a rapidly intensifying El Niño event in the tropical Pacific. The timing of the record is particularly notable. Ocean temperatures typically peak in March and April, following the summer in the Southern Hemisphere, which is predominantly ocean.