The planet average sea-surface temperature outside the polar regions hit 21.1°C (69.98°F) on August 22, setting a new all-time record, according to data from the European Union Copernicus Climate Change Service. The figure surpasses the previous daily record of 21.09°C set in March 2024 and comes as a strengthening El Niño event pushes Pacific Ocean temperatures to levels never before observed.
Climate scientists said the record is being driven by a combination of a strong El Niño event — which warm the central and eastern tropical Pacific — and the long-term trend of ocean warming caused by greenhouse gas emissions. Several researchers noted that August 2026 has been the warmest month ever recorded for Pacific sea-surface temperatures.
The record carries significant implications for weather patterns worldwide. Super El Niño events have historically been associated with drought in Southeast Asia and Australia, flooding in South America, and above-average hurricane activity in the Atlantic. The World Meteorological Organisation has warned that the current event could intensify into a Super El Niño by late 2026.
Ocean heatwaves — prolonged periods of abnormally warm sea temperatures — have also been intensifying, with marine scientists reporting widespread coral bleaching events across the tropical Pacific and Indian Ocean basins. The records underscore the accelerating pace of ocean warming: sea-surface temperatures have risen roughly 1°C since the 1980s.
