Ocean Heat Records Fuel Extreme Weather Across the Globe

Global average sea surface temperatures hit 20.98 degrees Celsius in June, beating the previous records set in 2023 and 2024, according to the European Union's Copernicus Marine Service. Two separate Copernicus programs independently confirmed the reading. The warmth is not limited to the equatorial Pacific, where a Super El Niño began weeks ago. A broader ocean heat wave is underway.

On California beaches, the consequences are visible. Marine ornithologist Tammy Russell of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography described finding seabird carcasses within minutes of walking on a San Diego beach. "We've been seeing cormorants walk to shore and then just die within the hour," Russell said. "One time it happened within 15 minutes, and I've never seen that before." Record ocean temperatures have shrunk the band of cold, nutrient-rich water where krill, anchovies and sardines thrive, she said. California brown pelicans, loons and grebes are among the species starving.

Tropical Storm Arthur made landfall June 17, dumping more than 20 inches of rain in parts of the Gulf Coast. AccuWeather estimated total damage and economic loss at $4 billion to $6 billion. Plaucheville, Louisiana, recorded 24.47 inches. The storm was followed by a heat wave now baking the eastern half of the United States. Weather.com warned that roughly 230 million people, about two-thirds of the U.S. population, could face extreme heat this week. The National Weather Service said the heat would peak June 30 through July 2 in the Midwest and Mississippi Valley, then shift eastward.

The Trump administration declared a power emergency for the PJM Interconnection grid, which serves 67 million people across 13 states. An Energy Department order authorizes power plants in the region to operate at maximum levels and exceed some environmental requirements. A second order permits backup generators "as a last resort," PJM said. Both orders run through 11:59 p.m. New York time July 3.

In Mississippi, Martha "Irene" Van Egmond, 83, died after collapsing in her garden Saturday and suffering hours of heat exposure, her family said. In Spain, the Carlos III Health Institute reported at least 1,028 heat-related deaths in June.

Sixteen wildfires were burning across Colorado as of Monday night, Governor Jared Polis said. The Snyder Fire in Mesa County exceeded 30,000 acres. Polis authorized the state's National Guard to support response efforts. In Pueblo and Custer counties, evacuations are in place for the Aspen Acres Fire. Pueblo County Sheriff David Lucero said high winds remain a concern. In Utah, 12 fires have burned nearly 300,000 acres. The Cottonwood Fire in southern Utah had grown to nearly 100,000 acres as of Tuesday night, with only 5% containment, according to InciWeb data. Officials called it likely the most destructive and expensive fire in state history.

Air quality alerts are in effect across ten states: New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Maine, New Hampshire, Colorado, Arizona and California. Ground-level ozone, wildfire smoke and particle pollution are driving the warnings.

A magnitude-6.0 earthquake struck the Gulf of California on Tuesday afternoon, centered northeast of La Paz on the Baja California peninsula. Aftershocks of magnitudes 4.5 and 5.3 followed. In Venezuela, the death toll from a pair of major earthquakes reached 1,943 as of Tuesday, according to officials. Vice President Delcy Rodríguez said 689 aftershocks have been recorded, though their frequency and average magnitude are declining. "We must remain relentless in the search for people who are alive," Rodríguez said. The skies over Caracas turned a deep red on June 30, a phenomenon known locally as a candilazo, caused by sunlight interacting with dust and debris thrown into the atmosphere by the quakes.

Uganda has reported a Marburg virus disease outbreak to the World Health Organization, STAT reported. The Ugandan government has not publicly announced the outbreak. A source familiar with the response told STAT that two Marburg cases had been detected as of Monday and that the outbreak appeared localized. Uganda is also responding to a separate Ebola outbreak. There is no approved cure for the Marburg virus.