According to the half-year report released by the EU Copernicus Marine Service, global sea surface temperatures reached a new record of 21.0 degrees Celsius in June 2026. The first six months of the year were marked by persistently high temperatures and widespread marine heatwaves that affected approximately 82 percent of the world’s oceans. The Mediterranean Sea, the central North Atlantic, and the tropical Pacific were identified as particularly affected hot spots, experiencing above-average temperatures with some areas reaching record levels.
These exceptionally warm conditions in the tropical Pacific align with the development of El Niño conditions, which typically lead to above-average temperatures in parts of the region. The Copernicus Marine Service emphasized the critical need for continuous, high-resolution monitoring of the oceans to better understand the evolution of this situation.
Carlo Buontempo, head of the Copernicus Climate Change Service at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasting, stated, “The current conditions could signal the start of a new phase that will lead us into unknown territory again.” He added that given the current sea temperatures and the impending El Niño, higher temperature records are likely to be seen in the coming months.
