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'The Ocean Is Not Supposed to Do This': Earth Reaches Its Hottest Water Temps on Record
- On Saturday, August 22, 2026, global ocean temperatures reached a record 21.1 degrees Celsius, or about 70 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service.
- Spurred by human-driven climate change and a strengthening El Niño, the record is notable for its August timing, as ocean temperatures typically peak in March and April.
- August 21 likely marked the warmest sea surface temperatures since the last Interglacial 125,000 years ago, while more than 40 percent of the planet's oceans currently experience marine heat waves.
- Warm ocean temperatures supercharged Hurricane Lala, which brought deadly flooding to Hawaii and killed a 93-year-old former kindergarten teacher named May Doi.
- The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts a 90 percent chance of a very strong El Niño event during Northern Hemisphere fall and winter into 2027, suggesting further record temperatures ahead.
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47 Articles
47 Articles
The oceans have just crossed a historic barrier. The average daily temperature of the surface of the sea has reached 21.1 oC, the highest value recorded by modern observation systems. But there is one more...
·Lisboa, Portugal
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Highest-ever ocean temperatures recorded as El Niño intensifies
Nature, Published online: 26 August 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-02681-4Why extreme temperatures are expected to weaken ocean carbon sinks — plus, how mitochondrial injections could treat vision loss.
·London, United Kingdom
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Earth is simmering in its hottest water temps on record, and that's bad for fish and us
The world’s oceans simmered to their hottest temperatures on record over the weekend and are likely to warm even further in the next few months, putting stress on life in the water and on land too, the European climate service…
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Total News Sources47
Leaning Left6Leaning Right3Center30Last UpdatedBias Distribution77% Center
Bias Distribution
- 77% of the sources are Center
77% Center
15%
C 77%
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