April 2026 seas near record 21°C, C3S flags El Nino
Technology
April 2026 was one for the climate record books: sea surface temperatures outside the poles nearly hit all-time highs, averaging 21 Celsius.
The tropical Pacific saw big marine heatwaves too, which could mean El Nino is on the way, according to Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S).
Global April 3rd warmest amid extremes
Globally, it was the third warmest April ever recorded, with air temperatures up by 0.52 Celsius compared with recent decades. Arctic sea ice shrank to its second-lowest level for April.
Europe's weather was all over the place: Spain had its hottest April yet while Eastern Europe stayed colder than usual.
Around the world, extreme events kept coming: flash floods hit parts of Asia such as Iran and Afghanistan, and Southern Africa struggled with drought.