August 2026 has been recorded as the joint-hottest month ever, matching July 2023, according to the EU's climate service, Copernicus. Temperatures for the month were 1.65C above pre-industrial levels, exceeding the 1.5C threshold agreed by countries to avoid the worst consequences of climate change.
This record was attributed to a combination of climate change and the increasing influence of El Niño, which pushes heat into the atmosphere across the Pacific. Dr Samantha Burgess, strategic lead for climate at Copernicus, described August as "a remarkable month in the global climate record," with impacts felt worldwide.
The month also marked western Europe's warmest summer, surpassing the heat of 2003. The UK experienced its hottest summer since records began in 1884, a high mark the Met Office found was made around 130 times more likely by human-caused climate change.
The current El Niño is still strengthening and could become one of the most powerful on record, according to the Copernicus team. The biggest impact of this natural phenomenon on global temperatures is expected over the coming year, suggesting the current run of records may continue.