Copernicus: August 2026 was the hottest month ever recorded worldwide

August 2026 was the hottest month ever recorded globally, according to the latest report by the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), managed by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF). The report highlights the scale of global warming and its effects on ocean surface temperatures.

During the same period, the average sea surface temperature in extra-polar oceans reached a record level. According to the report, this development is associated both with global warming caused by the burning of fossil fuels and with the rapid rise in water temperatures in the equatorial Pacific, amid strong El Niño conditions.

Data published by Copernicus also indicate the occurrence of extreme weather events. Several countries faced severe drought, and Romania is among the countries mentioned in the report. The August temperature record and high ocean temperatures provide a new indicator of the pace of climate change.