Global sea surface temperatures reach near-record levels in March 2026

The European Copernicus Climate Change Service reported that March 2026 saw ocean surface temperatures reach near-record levels. Excluding polar regions, the average temperature was 20.97 degrees Celsius, just one-tenth of a degree below the record set in March 2024. Data from the observatory indicates that temperatures continue to climb into April. These findings have raised concerns among climatologists regarding the potential return of the El Nino phenomenon in the second half of the year. El Nino involves a large-scale periodic warming of waters in the Pacific Ocean that impacts global climate patterns. This natural cycle is expected to exacerbate human-induced climate change. Experts warn that after three consecutive years of record-breaking heat, this development could push global temperatures to new extremes. The previous El Nino event in 2023 and 2024 solidified those years as the hottest on record.