Data from the EU’s climate monitoring agency indicates that global oceans reached their highest recorded temperatures in July. This trend is partially attributed to the emergence of El Niño conditions in the Pacific. Outside of polar regions, the average sea surface temperature reached 20.96C, surpassing the previous record of 20.89C established in 2023.
El Niño, a natural Pacific weather phenomenon, is intensifying the effects of human-induced global warming, leading to more severe weather and temperature spikes. The Copernicus Climate Change Service noted that last month ranked as the second-warmest July on record globally, with temperatures 1.47C above pre-industrial levels. High sea temperatures were particularly prevalent across the tropical Pacific and near Europe, where coastal areas saw intense marine heatwaves.
Western Europe endured its hottest June and July on record, with prolonged drought and heat fostering dangerous wildfires. Rivers such as the Seine, Rhine, and Danube experienced significantly low water levels, impacting transport, energy production, and agriculture. Samantha Burgess of the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts highlighted that climate change is causing heat and drought to reinforce one another, creating conditions that are becoming increasingly common.
In the UK, the Met Office reported the driest July in 190 years, leading to official drought declarations in several areas. Experts emphasize that the 20th-century climate has fundamentally shifted, as current extreme weather patterns become the standard. With fossil fuel combustion continuing to drive global temperatures roughly 1.4C above late 19th-century levels, scientists warn that El Niño could trigger further short-term temperature increases.
