Europe's Copernicus C3S: August 2026 breaks atmospheric water vapor record
Technology
August 2026 just broke a new record for atmospheric water vapor, according to Europe's Copernicus Climate Change Service.
With levels hitting 27.35kg per square meter (just above the previous high from July 2024), this means our air is holding more moisture than ever, which can make extreme heat and heavy rain even more likely.
Julien Nicolas: 7% moisture per degree
Dr. Julien Nicolas, senior scientist at C3S, explains that hotter air holds more moisture, about 7% extra per degree of warming, which is consistent with the record high global temperature in August and the recent El Nino.