Global May Heat Reaches Near-Record Levels in 2026
TL;DR
May 2026 was the world’s second-warmest May on record, with global sea-surface temperatures near record highs; the January–May stretch was the fourth-warmest on record, and heat fueled widespread wildfires (the January–May burned area reached a 15-year high). Arctic and Antarctic sea ice extents were among the lowest on record, while an El Niño watch suggests warming could intensify later in 2026.
- May 2026 was the world’s second-warmest May on record Yale Climate Connections
- May was the world's second-hottest on record, EU scientists say Reuters
- Cited 9 June 2026: Europe’s ‘exceptional’ heatwave | Warming forecast | AMOC observations ‘at risk’ Carbon Brief
- Wild temperature swings are becoming the ‘new normal’, EU agency says Financial Times
- EU monitor warns of 'new normal' following record temperatures in May Euronews
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