Ocean heat records broken as hottest July temperature recorded
Global ocean temperatures reached record highs in July, driven by a combination of human-induced climate change and developing El Niño conditions. These rising temperatures threaten marine ecosystems and reduce the ocean's capacity to absorb carbon dioxide.
Why it matters
Record-breaking ocean heat is a critical indicator of accelerating climate change, with profound implications for global weather patterns and marine biodiversity.
Image source, Getty Images By Jessica Rawnsley Published 20 minutes ago The world's oceans hit their hottest ever recorded temperatures in July, partly fuelled by developing El Niño conditions in the Pacific , according to the EU's climate monitoring service.
The average sea surface temperature (SST) outside the world's polar regions - between 60 degrees north and 60 degrees south - was 20.96C in July, beating the previous July high of 20.89C, set in 2023.
El Niño is a natural weather pattern in the Pacific, but when combined with human-driven global warming can cause temperature spikes and more extreme weather.
Last month was the joint second-warmest July globally on record, with temperatures 1.47C above the estimated pre-industrial average, according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service.
What is El Niño and why could it mean record temperatures?
Published 11 June Rhine falls to record low levels as drought strains Europe's rivers
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in