August 2026 Ties Record as Hottest Month Ever

According to the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service, August 2026 was tied with July 2023 as the hottest month ever recorded globally, with a global average surface temperature of 16.96°C, which is 1.65°C above the estimated pre-industrial average. Additionally, August 2026 marked the hottest August on record.

The period from June to August 2026 was noted as the joint-warmest summer globally. The Copernicus agency attributed the extreme temperatures primarily to human-caused climate change, with a strong El Niño event also contributing to the high temperatures observed during this period.