The year 2026 has started with an exceptionally warm January globally, ranking among the five warmest Januarys on record, according to a report released today by the European Copernicus observatory. This came despite severe cold waves that hit the northern hemisphere and prompted political reactions, including from US President Donald Trump.

According to the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), the global average surface air temperature in January 2026 reached 12.95 degrees Celsius, which is 0.51 degrees Celsius higher than the average for the period 1991–2020. This month was only 0.28 degrees Celsius colder than the warmest January ever recorded, that of 2025, and 1.47 degrees warmer than the average level of the pre-industrial period 1850–1900.

C3S Deputy Director Samantha Burgess stressed that "January 2026 was a stark reminder that the climate system can simultaneously produce extreme cold weather in one region and extreme heat in another."

The observatory reported that the Southern Hemisphere experienced record temperatures in January, contributing to the outbreak of deadly fires in Australia, Chile and Patagonia. Above-average temperatures were also recorded in the Arctic, Greenland, South America, North Africa and Antarctica.

In contrast, the Northern Hemisphere has been hit by severe cold snaps in recent weeks, particularly in North America, Siberia and Europe. As a result, Europe recorded its coldest January since 2010, with the average surface temperature 2.34 degrees Celsius below normal.