The European climate service Copernicus reported that August 2026 tied for the hottest month on record, matching a mark set in July 2023. Scientists attributed the heat to human-caused climate change and a significant El Niño event. The global average temperature for the month was recorded at 62.53 degrees Fahrenheit (16.96 degrees Celsius).
The findings come as both the globe and the United States experienced their hottest Northern Hemisphere summers on record. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the summer of 2026 in the contiguous United States surpassed the previous record set in 1936 during the Dust Bowl. Data from Copernicus indicates that the eight hottest months on record have all occurred since July 2023.
In August, global temperatures were 1.65 degrees Celsius (nearly 3 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels, exceeding the 1.5-degree Celsius threshold established by the 2015 Paris climate agreement. Sea temperatures also reached historic levels, with global monthly ocean temperatures tying a March 2024 record and August 22 setting a new daily record for the world's oceans.
The scale of the warming is reflected in global and national figures spanning decades. The U.S. average temperature for June through August was 74.37 degrees Fahrenheit, which is approximately 0.4 degrees warmer than the 1936 record. United Nations climate chief Simon Stiell stated that the continued burning of coal, oil, and gas will lead to extreme heat that could cost trillions of dollars globally and increase prices for household basics like food. Berkeley Earth scientist Zeke Hausfather noted it is "increasingly likely" that 2026 will become the warmest year on record, with 2027 potentially reaching 1.8 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels due to a strengthening El Niño.
The effects of these temperature spikes include more frequent and dangerous storms, floods, and wildfires, according to Texas Tech scientist Katharine Hayhoe. Additionally, Burgess reported that some individual days may soon reach a warming threshold of 2 degrees Celsius above mid-1800s levels. While El Niño currently adds an estimated 0.1 to 0.2 degrees Celsius to global temperatures, scientists Friederike Otto and Andrew Dessler emphasized that the primary driver of the long-term trend is the emission of heat-trapping gases from fossil fuels. The current El Niño is forecast to continue strengthening in the coming months, potentially leading to further record-breaking temperatures.