23/07/2026
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🌡️ The Mediterranean is experiencing an extreme marine heatwave
Sea surface temperatures are above average across almost the entire Mediterranean. On 21 July, the basin-wide average reached 27.71 °C, which is 2.91 °C above the long-term average for that date (Copernicus Marine Service).
The largest anomalies are currently occurring in the western Mediterranean:
• off the coasts of Algeria and Tunisia and along the western coast of Libya, the water is locally more than 5 °C warmer than usual, with temperatures reaching almost 32 °C
• around Corsica, Sardinia and Sicily, and along the western coast of Italy, anomalies are around 4 °C, with water temperatures often between 29 and 30 °C
• off the coast of southern France, the water is more than 4 °C warmer than usual, with temperatures around 26 °C
Water temperatures in the western Mediterranean are therefore locally reaching levels more typical of the eastern part of the basin.
A marine heatwave is persisting across large parts of the western Mediterranean and is locally classified as severe to extreme.
A marine heatwave occurs when sea temperatures remain above the 90th percentile of the usual values for a given location and time of year for at least five consecutive days.
⛈️ Warmer seas increase evaporation and provide more heat and moisture to the atmosphere. Under favourable conditions, this can support more intense thunderstorms and heavier rainfall.
🐠 Prolonged warming also places marine ecosystems under stress, can cause mass mortality of marine organisms, and may alter the distribution of species.
