July 2026 tied 2024 as the warmest July on record globally, with surface temperatures +1.18°C (+2.12°F) above the 20th-century average and global ocean temperatures reaching a record high for the month, extending the run of exceptionally elevated global temperatures.

• Global surface temperatures were +1.18°C (+2.12°F) above the 20th-century average, tying July 2024 for the warmest July on record. The past four Julys (2023–2026) were the four warmest on record, and July 2026 marked the 55th consecutive July above the 20th-century average.

• Global ocean temperatures reached a record high for July at +1.02°C (+1.84°F) above average, making 2026 the first July with an ocean temperature departure above +1.0°C and tying August and September 2023 for the third-highest monthly ocean departure on record.

• Global land temperatures ranked as the third warmest July on record, while Northern Hemisphere land temperatures set a new July record. Record-high temperatures were widespread across parts of Europe, the Americas, Africa, Asia, the Arctic and every major ocean basin.

• North America, Africa and Asia each recorded their warmest July on record, while the Arctic had its third warmest, South America its sixth warmest, Europe tied for seventh warmest and Oceania ranked eighth warmest. Antarctica was the only major region with below-average temperatures.

• January–July global surface temperatures ranked as the third warmest on record. NOAA said it is very likely that 2026 will finish among the five warmest years on record, with the highest probabilities centered on third or fourth warmest, while a strengthening El Niño could add further upward pressure later in the year.

• Global sea ice extent averaged 8.77 million square miles, 810,000 square miles below the 1991–2020 average and the fourth-lowest July extent in the 48-year satellite record. Arctic sea ice ranked sixth lowest and Antarctic sea ice fifth lowest for July.

• Tropical cyclone activity was near normal, with nine named storms globally, including five that reached cyclone strength and three that became major cyclones. All three Category 5 storms occurred in the Pacific.

• Notable storms included Tropical Storm Bertha in the Atlantic, Category 5 Hurricane Genevieve in the East Pacific and Category 5-equivalent Super Typhoon Bavi in the West Pacific, highlighting active but broadly near-average global tropical cyclone activity.

• Assessing the Global Temperature and Precipitation Analysis in July 2026

June 2026 was the second-warmest June on record globally, extending the long-running trend of elevated global temperatures. Record ocean warmth and historically low sea ice continued to characterize the global climate, while tropical cyclone activity ran above average.

• Global surface temperatures were +1.09°C (+1.96°F) above the 20th-century average, making June 2026 the second-warmest June in records dating back to 1850, behind only 2024. The month also marked the 50th consecutive June with above-average global temperatures, with the last cooler-than-average June occurring in 1976.
• Global ocean surface temperatures reached a record high for June, while land temperatures ranked as the 4th warmest on record. The Arctic experienced its warmest June on record, while North America, Europe and Africa each recorded their 2nd-warmest June.
• The first half of 2026 also remained exceptionally warm. January-June ranked as the 3rd-warmest start to a year on record, with NOAA indicating it is very likely that 2026 will finish among the five warmest years ever recorded.
• Sea ice remained well below normal. Global sea ice extent ranked as the 4th smallest June in the satellite record, with the Arctic recording its 3rd-lowest June extent and the Antarctic its 6th lowest.
• Global tropical cyclone activity was above average during June, with 7 named storms worldwide. Activity included Super Typhoon Mekkhala, which reached Category 4-equivalent intensity, while Tropical Storm Arthur brought heavy rain to portions of the U.S. Gulf Coast and Southeast.
• Assessing the Global Temperature and Precipitation Analysis in June 2026

May 2026 ranked as the second-warmest May on record globally, with temperatures running +1.07°C above the 20th-century average and trailing only May 2024.

• The month marked the 50th consecutive May with above-average global temperatures, with all 10 of the warmest Mays in the historical record occurring since 2016.
• Ocean temperatures were the second-warmest on record for May, while land temperatures ranked fifth-warmest. Widespread above-average temperatures covered much of the globe, with particularly strong warmth across parts of the Arctic, Antarctica, central Canada, western Asia, and portions of the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans.
• Sea ice remained exceptionally limited. Both poles recorded top-10 low sea ice extent, while Arctic sea ice ranked as the second-smallest May extent on record for the third consecutive month.
• The March-May period was also exceptionally warm, ranking as the third-warmest such period globally in NOAA's 177-year dataset. The Northern Hemisphere recorded its fifth-warmest meteorological spring, while the Southern Hemisphere tied for its warmest autumn on record.
• Looking ahead, NOAA estimates that 2026 is very likely to finish among the five warmest years ever recorded globally.
• Assessing the Global Temperature and Precipitation Analysis in May 2026

Global surface temperatures were +1.12°C (+2.02°F) above the 20th-century average in April 2026, ranking as the fourth-warmest April on record amid persistent global warmth.

• April 2026 ranked as the fourth-warmest April on record, trailing only 2024, 2025, and 2020, with all top 10 warmest Aprils occurring since 2016, indicating a strong concentration of recent extreme warmth.
• This marked the 50th consecutive April with above-average global temperatures, highlighting a prolonged period of sustained positive temperature anomalies.
• Ocean temperatures were the second-warmest on record for April while land temperatures ranked seventh-warmest, showing broadly elevated temperatures across both surface types.
• Above-average temperatures covered most global land and ocean areas, with notable anomalies of at least +2.0°C observed across the Arctic, Antarctica, parts of the U.S., Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia, indicating widespread geographic intensity.
• The January–April global temperature ranked as the fifth highest on record, reinforcing the persistence of elevated temperatures into 2026 and supporting projections for another top-five warm year.
• Northern Hemisphere snow cover was below average, with Eurasia recording its eighth-lowest extent on record (-460,000 square miles vs average), reflecting significant regional snow deficits.
• Global sea ice extent was the fifth smallest on record at 7.63 million square miles (-590,000 vs average), with the Arctic recording its second-smallest April extent and Antarctica also below average, indicating continued weakness in polar ice coverage.
• Global tropical cyclone activity was near average with four named storms, three reaching major strength, including an early-season Category 5-equivalent storm, indicating typical overall activity but notable intensity in specific cases.
• Assessing the Global Temperature and Precipitation Analysis in April 2026

The January 2026 global temperature was 1.12°C (2.02°F) above the 20th-century average, ranking as the fifth-warmest January since global records began in 1850.

• This marks the 50th consecutive January (since 1977) with temperatures, at least nominally, above the 20th-century average. The 10 warmest Januarys on record have occurred since 2007, with the most recent five years (2022–26) among the top 10.
• During January 2026, much-warmer-than-average conditions prevailed across much of the globe's surface, particularly in the Arctic, Greenland, northern and western Canada, the western U.S., Africa, southern and eastern Asia, and parts of Australia, where temperature departures exceeded +2.0°C (+3.6°F).
• Record-high January temperatures covered 7.0% of the Earth's surface, notably in Greenland, Africa, Asia, the Atlantic, and parts of the Pacific and Southern Oceans.

Assessing the Global Temperature and Precipitation Analysis in Janaury 2026

With a global temperature 1.05°C (1.89°F) above average, December 2025 was the fifth-warmest December since global records began in 1850. Notably, the ten warmest Decembers have all occurred since 2015. This month marked the 50th consecutive December with temperatures at least nominally above the 20th-century average.

2025 ranked as the third-warmest year since global records began in 1850. The annual global surface temperature was 2.11°F (1.17°C) above the 20th-century average, falling behind the record-setting year of 2024 (by 0.22°F/0.12°C) and the second-warmest year, 2023 (by 0.04°F/0.02°C). The 10 warmest years in the historical record have all occurred since 2015. Additionally, 2025 exceeded the pre-industrial (1850–1900) average by 2.41°F (1.34°C).

• Upper ocean heat content was record high in 2025.
• Annual sea ice extent for both the Arctic and Antarctic regions ranked among the three lowest years on record.
• The Northern Hemisphere snow cover extent was the third lowest on record.
• There were 101 named tropical storms across the globe in 2025, which was above average.

Assessing the Global Temperature and Precipitation Analysis in 2025

November 2025 ranked as the third-warmest November in NOAA’s 176-year record, with a global surface temperature 2.12°F (1.18°C) higher than the 20th-century baseline.

• All 10 of the warmest Novembers on record have occurred since 2015, with the most recent three years (2023, 2024 and 2025) comprising the top three.
• Year-to-date period ranked as second-warmest on record.
• Snow cover extent was below average across the Northern Hemisphere regions.
• Sea ice extent in both polar regions ranked among the four lowest on record.
• Global tropical cyclone activity was below normal with six named storms.

Assessing the Global Temperature and Precipitation Analysis in November 2025

The global surface temperature for October 2025 was 2.21°F (1.23°C) higher than the 20th-century baseline, ranking as the third-warmest October since global records began in 1850. Only two Octobers were warmer (2023 and 2024).

• Below-average snow cover extent in North America and Greenland contrasted with Eurasia’s near-average snow cover extent.
• Both poles saw below-average sea ice extent.
• Global tropical cyclone activity was above average with 18 named storms.

Assessing the Global Temperature and Precipitation Analysis in October 2025

Assessing the Global Temperature and Precipitation Analysis in August 2025