August 2026 Breaks Global Heat and Moisture Records as El Niño Returns
TL;DR Summary
August 2026 was the warmest August and the moistest month on record in ERA5 data, with global temperatures about 1.65°C (2.97°F) above pre-industrial levels and a record 1.08 inches of precipitable water, signaling a wetter, more extreme atmosphere. The warmth and moisture are fed by greenhouse gas emissions and a strong El Niño returning, which is projected to peak in December and could make 2026 the warmest year on record, likely increasing rainfall extremes and contributing to events like major flash floods such as the Grand Canyon incident.
- August Just Set a Global Heat and Humidity Record—and It Wasn’t Close Gizmodo
- August was joint-hottest month ever recorded globally The Guardian
- August Ties the Record for Earth’s Hottest Month on the Books The New York Times
- Global heat stuck on high. Scientists say August was Earth's hottest month they've measured. WKMG
- A Surge of Marine Heat Waves Threatens to Scramble Ocean Life Yale E360
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