July 2026 ocean temperatures break records as El Niño strengthens
EU climate monitor reports global sea surface temperatures reached 20.96°C, the highest for any July on record
AI-assisted coverage comparison, editor-supervised · How this was made
Photograph: CGTN (embedded from source)
What this story says
- The average sea surface temperature across extra-polar oceans reached 20.96°C in July 2026, surpassing the previous July record set in 2023.
- July 2026 was the joint second-warmest July globally, tied with July 2024, according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service.
- Western Europe recorded its hottest June-July period on record, with temperatures 2.79°C above the 1991-2020 average.
- Developing El Niño conditions are forecast to strengthen, further influencing global weather patterns in the coming months.
Who covered it
Percentages are shares of the 18 outlets carrying a published leaning rating. 4 of the 22 outlets we know ran this story carry no rating and are not counted in them. Coverage measured .
Trust
86/100
Craft
95/100
Hype
12/100
22 sources · methodology
Thin on the right so far
Only 3 of the 18 outlets with a published leaning rating that ran this story are rated right.
This story is still being watched, so it is a count and not yet a finding. Coverage keeps arriving for hours after an event, and a side that has published nothing this morning may publish by tonight. If it is still true when we stop checking, we will say so plainly.
The European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service reported that global ocean temperatures reached a record high in July 2026. The average sea surface temperature across the extra-polar oceans, measured between 60 degrees south and 60 degrees north latitude, was 20.96°C. This exceeded the previous July record of 20.89°C, set in 2023.
July 2026 was the joint second-warmest July on record globally, tied with July 2024. The average surface air temperature was 16.90°C, 1.47°C above the pre-industrial average for 1850-1900. Western Europe experienced its hottest June-July period, with an average temperature of 21.62°C, 2.79°C above the 1991-2020 average.
Developing El Niño conditions were identified as a factor in the record ocean temperatures. The phenomenon is expected to strengthen in the coming months. Persistent high-pressure systems and dry soils in Western Europe contributed to prolonged heatwaves, reduced river flows, and increased wildfire activity.
What the coverage left out
None of the right-rated digests mentioned the specific air temperature anomaly of 1.47°C above the pre-industrial average. The centre-rated digests did not include details on the reduced river flows in Western Europe or the comments from Copernicus scientists on wildfire activity. The left-rated digests, aside from CGTN’s full report, omitted the broader context of drought and its impact on water supplies and ecosystems.
Still developing. We have re-checked which outlets are covering this 1 time, most recently on 10 Aug 2026, 16:00, and will add the sides that appear.
How each side covered it
Our own reading of the reporting listed below, written from the outlets’ articles rather than quoted from them. The reasoning is set out on our methodology page.
Left
10 rated outlets
- The eight left-rated digests led on the record-breaking ocean temperatures and their connection to climate change. CGTN’s full report detailed the role of El Niño, the impact on Western Europe’s heatwaves, and the broader implications for wildfires and drought. The Seattle Times and Los Angeles Times focused on the potential effects of El Niño on sea levels along the California coast.
- CGTN quoted Samantha Burgess, strategic lead for climate at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, who stated, "July 2026 was the third consecutive month of exceptional heat in western Europe." The report also included comments from Laurence Rouil, director of the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service, on the link between climate change and wildfire intensity.
Centre
5 rated outlets
- The five centre-rated digests highlighted the record ocean temperatures and their ties to El Niño. BBC News and Internewscast noted the broader climate concerns raised by the temperatures, while ElNacional.cat focused on the Mediterranean’s unusually high sea surface temperatures. ANSA and 20minutos reported the global ranking of July 2026 as the second-warmest July on record.
Right
3 rated outlets
- The three right-rated digests led on the record ocean temperatures but placed greater emphasis on the impact in Western Europe. El Mundo reported that July 2026 was the second-warmest July globally and noted Spain’s record-breaking temperatures. La Razón and Het Laatste Nieuws both mentioned the 20.96°C average ocean temperature and linked it to heatwaves, drought, and wildfires in Europe.
Read it at the source
22 outlets, grouped by the leaning a published rating gives them. Every headline links to the original; an underlined outlet name opens our profile of that publisher.
Left
10- El Niño could bring highest sea levels ever recorded to the California coast (opens The Seattle Times in a new tab)
The Seattle Times — is The Seattle Times biased? Our profile of this outlet
- El Nino Building, Oceans Hit Hottest July on Record (opens Newser in a new tab)
- World Oceans Were Record Warm in July (opens DR in a new tab)
- El Niño could bring highest sea levels ever recorded to the California coast (opens Los Angeles Times in a new tab)
Los Angeles Times — is Los Angeles Times biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Global ocean temperatures hit record July high as El Nino develops: EU climate monitor (opens Xinhua in a new tab)
- Global Ocean Temperatures Hit Record July High as El Nino Develops: EU ... (opens china.org.cn in a new tab)
china.org.cn — is china.org.cn biased? Our profile of this outlet
- World ocean temperatures hit extreme new record for July (opens Scientific American in a new tab)
Scientific American — is Scientific American biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Global ocean temperatures hit record July high as El Nino develops (opens CGTN in a new tab)
Centre
5- Record Ocean Temperatures Signal Strengthening El Niño, Raising Climate Concerns (opens Internewscast in a new tab)
Internewscast — is Internewscast biased? Our profile of this outlet
- World's oceans hit record-high July temperatures (opens BBC News in a new tab)
- Our Mediterranean Is a Soup: New Temperature Records and an Uncertain Future (opens ElNacional.cat in a new tab)
ElNacional.cat — is ElNacional.cat biased? Our profile of this outlet
- In July 2026 Hot Record for the Surface of the Seas (opens ANSA in a new tab)
- This July, the Second Warmest Ever Recorded Worldwide (opens 20minutos in a new tab)
Right
3- Oceans Reach a New Historic Peak in July While Western Europe Lives Its Warmest Summer Start (opens El Mundo in a new tab)
- Record in the Oceans: the Sea Reaches Its Highest Temperature Ever Recorded in a Month of July (opens La Razón in a new tab)
- Oceans Were Warmer than Ever in July, with Record Temperatures of over 20 Degrees Celsius. (opens Het Laatste Nieuws in a new tab)
Het Laatste Nieuws — is Het Laatste Nieuws biased? Our profile of this outlet
Not rated
4- Unprecedentedly Hot Sea Temperatures in July Are a Cause for Serious Concern. (opens TUOI TRE ONLINE in a new tab)
TUOI TRE ONLINE — is TUOI TRE ONLINE biased? Our profile of this outlet
- July Triggers Climate Alarm (opens MEO in a new tab)
- In July 2026 Hot Record for the Surface of the Seas (opens Quotidiano Nazionale in a new tab)
Quotidiano Nazionale — is Quotidiano Nazionale biased? Our profile of this outlet
- With El Niño, Oceans Record Temperature in July - 09/08/2026 - Environment (opens Folha de S.Paulo in a new tab)
Folha de S.Paulo — is Folha de S.Paulo biased? Our profile of this outlet
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