May 2026 was the second hottest May on record: El Niño intensifies, Europe experienced unprecedented heat
Sea surface temperatures in the tropical Pacific remained above normal. France, the United Kingdom, and Portugal recorded their highest May temperatures ever. Scientists warn: extreme events are becoming a regular feature of the modern climate.
As reported by CCTV+, the European climate service Copernicus (C3S) released a report on Wednesday stating that May 2026 was the second hottest May on record globally, with both land and sea surface temperatures remaining at historically high levels.
Sea surface temperatures in the tropical Pacific continued to stay above normal during May. Scientists noted that El Niño conditions are developing and are expected to strengthen in the coming months, potentially affecting weather patterns worldwide.
Europe saw significant warming throughout the month. Several countries, including France, the United Kingdom, and Portugal, recorded their highest May temperatures on record. Meanwhile, precipitation patterns varied greatly across the continent — some regions received more rainfall than usual, while others remained relatively dry.
Samantha Burgess, Director of Climate Strategy at the European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasts, stated that the unusually early and intense heat across Europe underscores how extreme climate events are increasingly becoming a regular feature of the modern climate.
The Copernicus program is the European Union's flagship Earth observation initiative. It continuously monitors air and ocean temperatures, ice cover, and other climate parameters. Copernicus data are considered among the most authoritative globally. El Niño is a natural oscillation of ocean surface temperatures in the equatorial Pacific that influences weather patterns worldwide, causing droughts, floods, and extreme heat.
Every passing month seems to break records — we have almost grown accustomed to that phrase. But when heat arrives in Europe unusually early and the ocean continues to warm, it is no longer just a line in a report. It is a reminder that the climate has ceased to be "average". It has become extreme. The question is no longer whether the next anomaly will occur, but how ready we are for it.
