August 2026 was the hottest month ever on Earth with extreme disasters

August 2026 tied July 2023 as the hottest month ever recorded globally, once again indicating how quickly the planet is warming.During August 2026, the world's average surface air temperature reached 16.96°C, according to the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S).Even more alarming is the fact that August was 1.65°C warmer than the estimated average for the pre-industrial period of 1850-1900.It was also the first month since November 2025 in which the global average temperature crossed 1.5°C above that benchmark. Extreme weather and climate-related disasters raged around the world. (Photo: Reuters) AUGUST'S GRIM NUMBERSThe 16.96°C global average was 0.85°C above the 1991-2020 average for August, making it the warmest August in the Copernicus record.The heat was not confined just to land. The average sea surface temperature across the world's oceans outside the polar regions reached 21.07°C in August, the highest recorded for the month.It also matched the highest monthly average seen for any month, previously recorded in March 2024.The period from June to August was also the joint-hottest three-month period on record globally, matching 2024. August was the first month since November 2025 in which the world's average temperature exceeded 1.5 C above pre-industrial levels. (Photo: AP) In Western Europe, the summer was the hottest ever recorded, with the region's average temperature reaching 21.69°C, which was essentially 2.54°C above its 1991-2020 average."August 2026 was a remarkable month in the global climate record. It was both the warmest August and the warmest month ever recorded, with global temperatures reaching 1.65°C above pre-industrial levels, marking the return of global temperatures above 1.5°C," Samantha Burgess, a lead at the Climate at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, told news agency Reuters.HEAT BECOMES EXTREMEThe numbers translated into visible impacts, too.Europe saw repeated heatwaves, widespread dryness, exceptionally low river flows and intense wildfire activity.Severe drought conditions were reported in countries including France, the UK, Hungary, Romania and Serbia.Adding to the list was the latest episode of deadly floods and landslides in Nepal and China's Tibet, while wildfires surged in parts of Asia and Europe.Scientists said climate change likely played a role in some of these events, although the exact contribution is still being studied. The data confirmed western Europe is emerging from its hottest summer ever recorded. (Photo: AP) "We've really seen the impact across Europe of how maladapted we are, with roads melting, train lines buckling, schools closing, hospitals completely overwhelmed, and record wildfires for the time of year," Burgess said.The 1.65°C figure does not mean the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C threshold has been permanently breached.That target is assessed over decades, not a single month. But the latest figures show how much warmer the planet is becoming as human-caused greenhouse gas emissions continue to drive long-term warming.- EndsPublished On: Sep 10, 2026 11:19 IST