World Meteorological Organization Reports Record-Breaking Climate Extremes in 2026

The year 2026 has reached record-breaking levels of global heat, melting ice, and rising sea levels, according to a new report from the World Meteorological Organization. Released on November 9 at the start of the COP31 climate summit in Antalya, Turkey, the findings describe a climate system that is increasingly off the charts. The report highlights that the past 12 years have been the warmest on record, with the last four years ranking as the top four hottest ever measured. Global average surface temperatures from January to September 2026 were approximately 1.47 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. This warming trend is expected to continue through the end of the year due to the influence of a very strong El Niño event. WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo stated that El Niño acts as a risk multiplier, releasing heat from the already record-warm oceans. She warned that heatwaves, tropical cyclones, and rainstorms are intensifying faster than historical baselines had previously suggested. The ocean, which absorbs 90 percent of excess planetary heat, is currently experiencing its tenth consecutive year of record warmth. Sea levels have also reached their highest point since monitoring began, while the annual loss of glacial ice continues at a rapid pace. The report notes that the 2025 annual mass loss of ice would have been enough to fill five Olympic-sized swimming pools every second of the year. These environmental shifts have had significant human and economic costs, including deadly flash floods in Nepal and extreme heatwaves across India and Europe. Preliminary estimates suggest that European heatwaves and wildfires in 2026 resulted in more than 30,000 excess deaths. Despite these challenges, the WMO reported progress in disaster preparedness, noting that the number of countries with multi-hazard early warning systems has increased from 56 in 2015 to 136 in 2025. The final State of the Global Climate 2026 report is scheduled for release in March 2027, incorporating further data from international meteorological services and United Nations partners. As world leaders gather in Turkey, the data serves as a foundation for discussions on how to navigate the increasing risks to global societies and economies.