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Last Update: 10/26/2026 at 11:33 PM EST
2026 Heat Records
Coverage from AP News, The Guardian, and others
In 2026, global temperature monitoring placed August at or near the hottest month measured, with an average surface temperature of about 16.
96°C—roughly 1.65°C above the pre-industrial baseline. The same reporting examined record ocean heat, the contiguous United States’ hottest summer, and exceptional heat across Western Europe. Scientists attributed most of the warming to human-caused greenhouse-gas emissions, while El Niño added a temporary boost. The records provide a lens on how global averages translate into heat waves, drought, wildfires, health risks, and pressure on food and infrastructure.
Looking Back
99 Day Timeline
Jun 10
Jun 26
Jul 12
Jul 30
Aug 15
Aug 31
Sep 16
History
10/03/2026
The main update is a qualification of the U.S. heat ranking: one article questions its certainty and regional representativeness. Reports also describe heat and drought as actively straining more systems, rather than only posing risks.
All Articles37 articles
Important
NOAA reported in July 2026 that the contiguous United States experienced its hottest recorded month, with scientists linking extreme heat and unusually warm nights to human-caused climate change.
8/10/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
NOAA reported in the United States that July was the hottest month recorded since 1895, as heat domes and wildfire smoke disrupted communities amid human-caused warming.
8/10/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
NOAA, NASA, and Copernicus reported that August 2026 was the hottest August or hottest month recorded globally, as ocean heat, regional extremes, and El Nino affected conditions worldwide.
9/10/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
NOAA and Copernicus reported Monday that the United States and global oceans experienced their hottest July on record in July 2026, as carbon emissions and El Nino amplified temperatures.
8/11/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Copernicus Climate Change Service reported in 2026 that Western Europe experienced record June-July heat, intensified drought, major wildfires, low river levels, and exceptional sea surface temperatures.
8/10/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
NOAA reported in July that the contiguous United States recorded its hottest month on record, with exceptional nighttime heat across the Lower 48 states.
8/10/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
NOAA reported Monday that July was the hottest month on record in the contiguous United States, as heat domes affected the country and intensified wildfire and drought conditions.
8/10/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Copernicus Climate Change Service reported record global ocean heat in July 2026, while heat and drought intensified across Western Europe.
8/10/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Copernicus reported record July 2026 sea temperatures and intensifying heat, drought, wildfires, and water shortages across Europe.
8/10/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
The Copernicus Climate Change Service reported in July that global ocean temperatures reached their highest recorded level for the month, with records also set across Europe.
8/10/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
NOAA and Copernicus reported that July 2026 tied or approached global heat records as the United States and western Europe experienced exceptional warmth.
8/11/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Copernicus C3S reported May 2026 as the second warmest May on record, with an early European heatwave and record tropical Pacific sea temperatures suggesting El Niño development.
6/10/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Copernicus C3S reported the second-hottest May on record on June 10, attributing record warmth to climate change plus developing El Nino.
6/10/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Minnesota experienced exceptionally hot July 2026 temperatures statewide, with climate change making the heat substantially more likely and worsening wildfire-related air quality.
8/1/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
The National Centers for Environmental Information reported in September 2026 that the contiguous United States set heat records while drought, low reservoirs, and wildfires affected much of the country.
9/9/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
NOAA reported on August 10, 2026, that record July heat affected every contiguous U.S. state while drought, wildfires, smoke, and water stress intensified nationwide.
8/10/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Copernicus reported that August 2026 effectively tied the global temperature record, with human-caused warming and El Nino producing exceptional heat worldwide.
9/10/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Copernicus Climate Change Service reported in August 2026 that global air and sea temperatures reached records worldwide, while El Nino amplified human driven warming.
9/10/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Copernicus reported that August was the hottest month statistically on record worldwide, as fossil-fuel warming and El Nino drove exceptional heat across the globe.
9/10/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Copernicus reported in August 2026 that global temperatures tied the monthly record at 1.65C above preindustrial levels, with heat and dryness affecting regions worldwide.
9/10/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
NOAA reported that the contiguous United States experienced its hottest meteorological summer on record this year, while climate change intensified dangerous heat across the United States, Europe, and Asia.
9/16/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
The EU Copernicus Climate Change Service reported record June-July heat, drought and wildfire danger across Western Europe, while July global sea-surface temperatures also reached a record.
8/10/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
NOAA reported in July 2026 that the contiguous United States experienced its warmest recorded month, prompting stronger local planning for heat, drought, smoke and public-health risks.
9/3/2026 • Adaptation & Resilience • General
NOAA reported Monday that July 2026 was the hottest month recorded across the contiguous United States, with widespread heat, drought, floods, and wildfires.
8/10/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
The Colorado Climate Center reported in July that Colorado experienced its second-hottest month on record amid prolonged heat waves, drought, and record-low snowpack.
8/15/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
NOAA reported in July 2026 that global temperatures tied the hottest July on record, alongside record ocean heat, low sea ice, and continuing El Nino conditions.
8/11/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
NOAA ranked the contiguous United States' summer 2026 as the warmest by average temperature, with Southwest heat and warm nights driving the record.
9/11/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Copernicus reported in August that global temperatures reached a record or statistical tie, driven primarily by human-caused emissions and amplified by El Niño worldwide.
9/10/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Copernicus reported that August 2026 tied the global temperature record as climate change and El Nino drove exceptional heat worldwide.
9/10/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Copernicus Climate Change Service reported in August 2026 that global temperatures tied the monthly record worldwide amid human-caused warming and developing El Nino conditions.
9/8/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Copernicus Climate Change Service reported in September 2023 that August 2023 tied July as the hottest global month recorded, while the United States and Europe experienced exceptional summer heat.
9/10/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Copernicus Climate Change Service reported that August recorded Earth's highest global monthly temperature in 2020s-era observations worldwide.
9/10/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Copernicus reported that August 2026 tied July 2023 as the hottest month recorded globally, as El Niño intensified warming and contributed to severe impacts in Europe, Nepal, and Tibet.
9/10/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
NOAA reported in 2026 that the United States recorded its hottest summer in 132 years, as climate change and El Nino drove widespread heat across the Lower 48 states.
9/9/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Interesting
Copernicus Climate Change Service reported in August 2026 that global temperatures tied the previous monthly record, with El Nino adding to human-caused warming worldwide.
9/10/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
In the United States, a 2026 climate analysis challenged NOAA-based claims that summer 2026 was unequivocally the hottest summer ever by highlighting dataset adjustments and contrasting observations.
9/15/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
NOAA reported that the contiguous United States experienced its warmest average June-August period in 2026, based on a 132-year temperature record.
9/14/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General