August was the warmest month globally
The global average temperature in August this year was 16.96°C, which is 0.85°C higher than the 1991–2020 average for August. August 2026 was the warmest August on record globally, surpassing the previous record shared by August 2023 and August 2024.
In August, the global average temperature was 1.65°C higher than the estimated pre-industrial (1850–1900) average. This means that the global average temperature exceeded the critical 1.5°C threshold again, and for the first time since November 2025.
In Europe, August 2026 was the fourth warmest August ever recorded. The average temperature in Europe was 20.26°C, which is 1.10°C higher than the average for August in 1991–2020.
Western Europe experienced its hottest summer on record
August marked the end of the warmest summer ever recorded in western Europe. The previous record was set in 2003. For Europe as a whole, summer 2026 was the third warmest on record, behind 2022 and 2024.
“The new heat record in western Europe is a sign of climate change and its increasing adverse effects, which include premature deaths, crop losses and water shortages. Combating climate change is far less costly than dealing with its adverse effects. Moving away from fossil fuels increases Europe's security of supply and is economically beneficial. Europe has been the engine of emission reductions, bringing its share of global emissions down to less than 6%. Achieving the 2°C target set in the Paris Agreement requires more ambition, especially from developing economies such as the BRICS countries,” says Petteri Taalas, Director General of the Finnish Meteorological Institute.
Sea waters also reached record temperatures
In August, the average sea surface temperature over the extra-polar ocean was 21.07°C. It is the highest average temperature recorded in August and the joint highest on record across all months, tied with March 2024. Sea surface temperatures across the tropical Pacific were exceptionally high. The El Niño event affecting the area is forecast to intensify further in the coming months. According to Copernicus, it may become one of the most intense El Niño events ever recorded.
August 2026 – highlights
Global temperature
August 2026 was the warmest August ever recorded globally. The average temperature in August was 16.96°C, which is 0.85°C higher than the 1991–2020 average.
August was 1.65°C warmer than the pre-industrial (1850–1900) average, bringing the global average temperature above the 1.5°C threshold again.
Europe
In Europe, the average temperature in August was 20.26°C, which is 1.10°C higher than the 1991–2020 average. This makes August 2026 the fourth warmest August ever recorded in Europe.
Western Europe experienced its warmest summer on record, surpassing the previous record set in 2003. In August, the region experienced further heatwaves, continuing the exceptional series of heatwaves that had begun in May.
Finland
According to the Finnish Meteorological Institute's statistics, the average temperature in August was close to normal.
Further information:
Petteri Taalas, Director General, Finnish Meteorological Institute, tel. +358 50 341 3460
Email addresses are in the format firstname.lastname@fmi.fi.
