BBC Russian Service
·Aug 2026
Hot 2026: It’s already warm, and El Niño is just beginning—what happens next?
June and July 2026 were the hottest such period ever recorded in Europe, with Western Europe experiencing exceptional heat, drought, and repeated heatwaves. July was the second-warmest month globally, while ocean surface temperatures reached a record high even before a developing El Niño fully emerged. El Niño is expected to intensify during the winter and could make 2026 one of the hottest years on record. Ocean warming is especially significant because the oceans absorb most of the excess heat from global warming, contributing to ice melt and further atmospheric warming.