Brussels: Global temperatures in May 2026 were the second-highest for the month since 1940, driven by climate change and the El Niño phenomenon, as reported by the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service. According to Oman News Agency, May 2026 was surpassed only by May 2024, which holds the record for the hottest May on record. The average global temperature last month was 1.42 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial average of the 19th century. Western Europe faced one of the most severe heatwaves recorded early this year, aligning with scientists' predictions of accelerated warming in Europe, acknowledged as the world's fastest-warming continent. Concurrently, the temperature increase was linked to extreme weather events globally. These included devastating floods in China and Trkiye, as well as exceptional heat in parts of the Pacific Ocean. Experts noted that the El Niño phenomenon, naturally forming every two to seven years due to weakening trade winds and the eastward flow of warm water across the Pacific, is expected to intensify in the coming months. This development poses a risk of further drought in some regions, alongside floods and heavy rains in others.