Surface currents of the Mediterranean Sea on 18 July 2026, from the Mediterranean analysis and forecast of the Copernicus Marine Service.
On 1 June, the surface of the Mediterranean was already 1.59 °C warmer than its 1991–2020 average.
The anomaly of the sea followed the two heatwaves on land, at the end of June and between 17 and 24 July, about three days later.
On 22 July, the anomaly peaked at +2.62 °C, and 68% of the sea surface was more than 2 °C above its 1991–2020 average.
After the peak, the anomaly fell to +0.96 °C on 29 July and rose again in August.
On 15 August, the last day of this series, the anomaly was still +2.08 °C.
residents along the coasts of Italy, Spain, France, Malta, Croatia, Greece, and Slovenia lived for a month or more in front of a sea more than 2 °C warmer than normal.
The summer of 2026 counted in people →Sources: Copernicus Marine Service, daily Mediterranean Sea surface temperature anomaly from 1 June 2026 to 15 August 2026 against the 1991–2020 reference of the product, and Mediterranean analysis and forecast of surface currents on 18 July 2026; Eurostat population on 1 January 2025. Basin mean, share above +2 °C, and coastal exposure: my calculation.