Archive · 5 Sep 2026
August 2026 Sets Global and Indian Heat Records
August 2026 was the hottest August ever measured around the world.
It was also the hottest August recorded in India since measurements began nationwide in 1901.
Scientists said global temperatures were 1.65°C higher than during the pre-industrial period.
A climate analysis group estimates there is a 75% chance that 2026 will be the hottest year ever recorded.
India’s average temperature in August was higher than its usual level.
Nights in India were also unusually hot and set a long-term record.
Calcutta was reported to have warmed more than other major Indian cities.
Experts said climate change is adding extra heat, while El Niño may make some impacts stronger.
August 2026 was the hottest August globally in the Copernicus/ECMWF ERA5 dataset, at 1.65°C above pre-industrial levels.
Climate Brink estimates a 75% chance that 2026 will become the warmest year on record.
India recorded its hottest August since nationwide record-keeping began in 1901, according to the India Meteorological Department.
India’s average August temperature reached 28.01°C, while the average minimum temperature set a 125-year record at 24.36°C.
Calcutta had the largest reported warming among Indian metros, followed by Bengaluru, while experts linked rising heat to climate change and El Niño effects.
- Who
- Climate Brink, the India Meteorological Department, and climate scientists and experts cited in the reports.
- What
- August 2026 was reported as the hottest August globally and in India, with 2026 likely to become the warmest year on record.
- When
- August 2026; the annual forecast applies to the remainder of 2026.
- Where
- Globally and across India, with Calcutta and Bengaluru highlighted among Indian cities.
- Why
- Experts attributed the underlying heat to climate change and said El Niño could amplify its effects, while clarifying that climate change does not cause El Niño.
- Global August temperature
- 1.65°C above pre-industrial levels, according to the Copernicus/ECMWF ERA5 dataset.
- 2026 warmest-year probability
- Climate Brink estimated about a 75% chance that 2026 will be the warmest year on record.
- Projected 2026 warming
- The report projected 1.62°C ±0.05°C above pre-industrial levels.
- India’s average August temperature
- 28.01°C, or 0.67°C above the historical normal of 27.34°C.
- India’s average minimum temperature
- 24.36°C, compared with a normal of 23.68°C, setting a 125-year record.
- Indian metro warming
- Calcutta was reported at 1.4°C above the pre-industrial global benchmark, followed by Bengaluru at 1.3°C.
- Previous annual global record
- 2024 recorded the highest annual average temperature rise, estimated at 1.55°C to 1.60°C above pre-industrial levels.