Science, Discovery, Tech and Environment · 27 August 2026

Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) Reports World’s Oceans Reach Record Sea Surface Temperature

Exam-focused facts from the 27 August 2026 current affairs briefing.

Key facts

  • The Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) reported global sea surface temperature reached 21.1 degrees Celsius (70.0 degrees Fahrenheit) on August 22, 2026.
  • This record broke the previous high of 21.09 degrees Celsius (69.96 degrees Fahrenheit) set in March 2024.
  • C3S uses the ERA5 dataset, which tracks ocean temperatures back to 1979.
  • The record is unusual because ocean temperatures normally peak in March and April, while this record occurred in August.
  • The previous August high of 20.98 degrees Celsius (69.76 degrees Fahrenheit) was surpassed.
  • The strong El Niño in the tropical Pacific intensified sea surface warming and is expected to strengthen further, possibly to a level not seen in several months perhaps.

View this story in the full daily briefing

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