Record July ocean heat and intensifying El Niño fuel worldwide extreme weather

Global ocean temperatures reached an all-time peak for July outside polar regions, averaging 20.96 degrees Celsius and surpassing previous records, according to data from the European Union's Copernicus climate monitoring service. The ocean warming coincided with the hottest combined June and July on record across Europe, where persistent heatwaves have fueled destructive wildfires and prolonged droughts.

Meteorologists link the extreme conditions to long-term climate change compounded by an intensifying El Niño event in the Pacific Ocean. The pattern is driving major weather disruptions worldwide, including intense rainfall and flooding across Asia alongside mounting drought risks in the Amazon basin. Analysts note that these compounding climatic pressures threaten global agricultural output, critical supply chains, and power infrastructure, with researchers warning that atmospheric temperatures could climb further in subsequent years.

Sources: BBC News, Bloomberg, MIT Technology Review, STV News, The Guardian.