February 2026 was 5th-hottest February ever, says Copernicus
February 2026 was officially the fifth-hottest February ever, with global temperatures nearly reaching the Paris Agreement's 1.5 degrees Celsius warming limit, according to Copernicus data.
Europe faced major floods from storms Leonardo, Pedro
This heat came with wild weather: Western Europe faced major floods from storms like Leonardo and Pedro, while Morocco, Mozambique and Botswana also experienced heavy rainfall and flooding.
Shifts in jet streams and moisture-laden "atmospheric rivers" fueled these extremes.
Arctic sea ice hit its 3rd-lowest level for February
Arctic sea ice hit its third-lowest level for February, down 5% from average.
The UK saw one of its five wettest Januarys since 1890 and its warmest February day since 2019.
The U.N. now says staying under that crucial 1.5 degrees Celsius mark is basically impossible, warning the UK could see at least a 2 degrees Celsius rise within just 25 years.