Sea surface temperatures were above average at the end of May, says the EU’s Copernicus Marine Service. Moreover, several countries in Western Europe faced above-average temperatures, including the in the Atlantic Ocean.
A data visualisation, based on data from the Copernicus Marine Service, shows sea surface temperature anomalies on 30 May 2026. According to the Marine Service, “areas in red and dark red indicate warmer than average waters, which extend along the northern and western coasts of France and across parts of the western Mediterranean Sea, and anomalies in excess of 5°C above the usual temperatures for this time of year,” highlights the article.
Scientists closely monitor sea surface temperatures and warn that sustained high sea surface temperatures turn the Mediterranean into a “climate risk multiplier,” fueling marine heatwaves, ecosystem stress, invasive species and heavier rainfall events.
For Greece and other coastal economies, the threat of higher sea surface temperatures extends beyond the environment to fisheries, tourism, infrastructure and the long-term resilience of seaside communities.
Copernicus Marine Service regularly provides information on the monitoring of ocean conditions, including marine heatwaves, which is used in environmental assessments, maritime safety, and climate-related decision-making.
