BRUSSELS: August 2026 was the joint-hottest month ever recorded globally, according to new data released by the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service.
The global average surface-air temperature reached 16.96°C, matching the previous monthly record set in July 2023. August was also around 1.65°C warmer than the estimated pre-industrial average, making it the first month since November 2025 to exceed the 1.5°C level.
Western Europe experienced its hottest summer on record, while extreme heat contributed to widespread wildfires, drought and unusually low river levels. Parts of Europe and Asia experienced severe fires during the month, while floods and landslides affected areas including Nepal and Tibet.
Copernicus scientists stressed that a single month above 1.5°C does not by itself mean the Paris Agreement’s long-term temperature threshold has formally been breached, since that target refers to warming averaged over a much longer period.