WMO: 2026 likely among four warmest years on record

The World Meteorological Organization reports 2026 will likely rank among the four warmest years on record, with the period from 2023 to 2026 accounting for the hottest years. The finding was released Monday at the COP31 climate conference in Antalya, Turkiye. Global average surface temperatures from January to September 2026 were about 1.47 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. A strengthening El Nino, expected to be the strongest on record by December, could push temperatures higher, while sea levels reached record highs and glaciers lost over 400 gigatonnes of ice in 2025. The WMO warned the prolonged heat, melting ice, and rising seas could trigger further warming and extreme weather into 2027. It noted 2024 remains the warmest year on record, followed by 2023 and 2025, and urged urgent action to limit temperature increases.