September 2026 Global Temperature and Climate Report Released
Ongoing El Nino conditions and resonance temperatures on the ocean surface caused September 2026 to be recorded as the second warmest September in history.
On a global scale, September 2026 was recorded as the second warmest September in history following 2023, within the framework of trends continuing for over 20 years.
Global Temperature Values
The global surface temperature in September 2026 was 1.33 degrees above the 20th-century average, reaching the second highest level in the period between 1850 and 2026.
This marked the fifty-first consecutive September in which global temperatures remained above the 20th-century average, and all of the last ten Septembers have occurred since 2015.
Ocean Surface Temperatures
The global ocean surface temperature anomaly reached an all-time high for any month, surpassing the record broken in August.
Breaking a new record for four consecutive months, global ocean surface temperatures rose to 1.10 degrees above normal in the September average.
El Nino and the Tropical Pacific
Ongoing El Nino conditions triggered record temperatures across the central and eastern tropical Pacific, significantly contributing to the increase in global ocean temperatures.
Land Temperatures
Global land surface temperatures were measured at 1.83 degrees above average, ranking as the third highest level in 177 years of records after 2023 and 2024.
Sea Ice Status
Global sea ice coverage remained below average at both poles, being recorded as the third lowest September level in the 48-year data history.
The coverage area fell to 8.54 million square miles, remaining 800 thousand square miles below the average between 1991 and 2020.
Tropical Cyclone Activities
While 19 tropical cyclones formed worldwide throughout September 2026, the Eastern North Pacific basin renewed its record for the total number of storms.
Hurricane Polo, which reached Category 5 strength, affected Baja California Sur and mainland Mexico, making landfall.