Ocean temperatures reached a new record high on 21 June 2026. This heat is higher than the records from 2023 and 2024. European scientists are worried about this heat. They say it can change the weather and hurt sea life around the world.
The heat is also happening at the same time as a strong El Niño. El Niño is a natural weather pattern. This one might be one of the strongest in many years. Usually, ocean temperatures are highest in July and August. However, this year the heat arrived early in June.
Why is the ocean getting so hot? Scientists say the Earth has too much extra energy. Humans create this energy when they burn fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas. These fuels release gases that trap heat. The oceans absorb more than 90% of this extra heat. This helps the planet, but the oceans are now getting too hot.
The speed of this warming is very scary. In 2020, the ocean received a certain amount of heat every second. By last year, that amount increased a lot. This heat can cause bad weather like big storms or long periods without rain. It also hurts fish and other sea animals because they need stable water temperatures to live.
Scientists will watch the oceans closely during July and August. They think temperatures may break even more records this summer.