2026 on Track to Be Earth’s Second-Hottest Year, EU Scientists Say

Scientists from the EU’s Copernicus climate service say 2026 is on track to become the second-hottest year on record. They give it a 20% chance of tying or surpassing 2024, currently the warmest year recorded. The average temperature across 2023–2026 is also projected to exceed 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. October was the warmest October on record, with global surface air temperatures 1.75°C above the 1850–1900 average. It was the third consecutive month to exceed 1.5°C. Scientists say human-caused warming, intensified by a strong El Niño, is driving the heat. The 1.5°C Paris Agreement threshold refers to long-term global warming, not a single month’s temperature. Forecasters warn that El Niño’s effects could continue into 2027, potentially making it the hottest year on record.

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