World’s oceans experience hottest June ever, scientists say more heat ahead
Key takeaways
- European Union monitors say the first half of 2026 was ‘marked by sustained and exceptional ocean warmth’ and forecast more to come.
- “Marine heatwaves expanded steadily throughout the period, ultimately affecting around 82 percent of the global ocean,” said Simon van Gennip, lead oceanographer for the Copernicus Marine Service.
- The onset of a potentially powerful El Nino weather pattern could boost global heat in the oceans and atmosphere even further in 2026, and into next year, according to scientists.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
European Union monitors say the first half of 2026 was ‘marked by sustained and exceptional ocean warmth’ and forecast more to come.
xwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogle Add Al Jazeera on Googleinfo. A boy and a recently-caught thresher shark on Socotra Island, Yemen [File: Carl Court/Getty Images]By Al Jazeera, AFPPublished On 1 Jul 20261 Jul 2026The world’s oceans experienced their “warmest June ever observed” and could see further record-breaking highs in the months ahead as El Niño and climate change push temperatures higher, according to a new report.
The European Union’s Copernicus Marine Service said on Wednesday that “record global sea surface temperatures” of 21.0 degrees Celsius (69.8 degrees Fahrenheit) in June beat the previous records in the same month in 2023 and 2024.