Assessing the Global Temperature and Precipitation in July 2026

July Highlights:

• The globe tied with 2024 as the warmest July on record, driven by record-warm oceans and above-average land temperatures.
• Across the globe, areas with record-high July temperatures were widespread, spanning across portions of most continents and every major ocean basin.
• The global sea ice extent was the fourth lowest for July on record.
• Globally, July featured nine tropical storms, which is near average for the month.

Temperature

Global surface temperatures in July 2026 were 2.12°F (1.18°C) above the 20th-century average, tying with 2024 for the warmest July on record. The past four Julys (2023–26) were the four warmest on record, with 2023, 2024, and 2026 each having a July temperature departure that exceeded +1.8°F (+1.0°C). This month also marked the 55th-consecutive July with a global temperature departure above the 20th-century average; the most recent below-average July occurred in 1971. 

Warmer-than-average conditions dominated across much of the globe in July 2026. Notable temperature departures of +3.6°F (+2.0°C) or higher occurred across much of the land surfaces, specifically North and South America, western Europe, central Africa, a broad swath of Asia and central Antarctica. Averaged as a whole, the global land surface came in at third highest on record for July. The Northern Hemisphere land set an all-time July record, surpassing the previous 2024 record. The Southern Hemisphere land temperature was warmer-than-normal, but finished outside the top 10. In addition to land surfaces, the north and the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean also had temperature departures exceeding +3.6°F (+2.0°C). Record-high July temperatures were widespread, spanning the British Isles, western Europe, the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean, and portions across North and South America, Africa, Asia, the Arctic and parts of every major ocean basin.

The global ocean temperature was the highest on record for the month at 1.84°F (1.02°C), with 2026 marking the first July to surpass +1.8°F (1.0°C). The global ocean temperature departure for July tied with August and September 2023 as the third-highest monthly departure for any month on record, trailing behind the tied record-holders of January and February 2024. Notably, all of these top-ranking monthly global ocean temperature departures occurred during an El Niño episode.

Below-average temperatures were observed in Alaska, northern and eastern Europe, much of Antarctica, far northern Canada, the southern tip of South America and far eastern Russia. Record-cold temperature departures were rare, limited to a small area in Antarctica. No other land or ocean regions experienced record-low July temperatures.

Regionally, most continents and regions recorded a top-10 warm July. North America, Africa, and Asia experienced their warmest July on record, followed by the Arctic (third warmest), South America (sixth warmest), Europe (tied for seventh warmest) and Oceania (eighth warmest). Antarctica was the only region with below-average July temperatures—Antarctica’s coldest July since 2016.

Year-to-date

Looking at the year-to-date, the January–July global surface temperature was third highest on record. According to NCEI’s Global Annual Temperature Outlook, it is very likely that 2026 will rank among the five-warmest years on record, with the highest probabilities favoring it as the third- or fourth-warmest year on record. According to NOAA's Climate Prediction Center, El Niño was present in the tropical Pacific Ocean during July 2026 and is expected to strengthen through the end of the year. If El Niño continues to intensify, it could drive global temperatures even higher, potentially pushing 2026 into an even warmer final ranking. 

Sea Ice

Global sea ice extent was the fourth smallest for July in the 48-year record, averaging 8.77 million square miles, which is 810,000 square miles below the 1991–2020 average. The Arctic fell 400,000 square miles below average—the sixth-lowest July extent on record. Meanwhile, Antarctic sea ice was 410,000 square miles below average, ranking as the fifth-smallest July extent.

Tropical Cyclones

Globally, July featured nine tropical storms, which is near average for the month. Five of those reached tropical cyclone strength and three reached major tropical cyclone strength. The number of named storms was near normal across the primary active basins: the Atlantic (one tropical storm), East Pacific (four named storms, including two hurricanes) and West Pacific basins (four named storms, including three typhoons). All three Category 5 storms occurred in the Pacific Ocean, while no storms developed in any other basin.

In the Atlantic, Tropical Storm Bertha—the basin’s sole named storm—brought strong winds, coastal flooding and heavy rainfall to parts of the U.S. Gulf Coast before making landfall in southeastern Louisiana. In the East Pacific, Category 5 Hurricane Genevieve generated swells and rip currents along parts of Mexico and Baja California, though it remained offshore and never made landfall. In the West Pacific, Super Typhoon Bavi reached Category 5-equivalent intensity, affecting the Mariana Islands before delivering destructive winds and heavy rainfall to parts of eastern and southeastern Asia.

For a more complete summary of climate conditions and events, see our July 2026 Global Climate Report or explore our Climate at a Glance Global Time Series.