July Sees Global Ocean Heat Record as Europe Faces Drought and Megafires
July 2026 delivered record-high sea-surface temperatures globally, with the Atlantic and western Mediterranean hitting new peaks, while Western Europe endured its hottest June–July period amid drought and wildfires; heat and dryness strained water, energy, and agriculture systems, cooling-water shortages forced power-plant shutdowns, and researchers warn drought-related economic losses are likely underestimated in the climate-change era.
