Marine heatwave Bulletin
Forecasts for 26 February 2026 ​

Key takeaways 

  • Mediterranean Sea – off the coast of France, a marine heatwave is developing reaching locally severe and extreme categories.  
  • North Pacific – the marine heatwave between the Philippines and Papua New Guinea increases in intensity and decreases in extent.
  • Southern Ocean – increasing intensities to strong categories (between 60°E and 120°E).

 

 

Waves

Marine heatwave categories

European region

Mediterranean Sea

The marine heatwave in the basin remains stable. The marine heatwave off the French coast increases locally with severe and extreme categories.  

North Atlantic

The marine heatwaves between Iceland and the British Isles, as well as in the North Sea remains stable with moderate to strong categories. 

Global Ocean

North Altantic

The marine heatwaves in the Caribbean Sea and extending from the Antilles as far as the centre of the basin decreases in extent moderate and strong categories.

South Atlantic

 The marine heatwave decreases in extent with moderate to strong categories. 

North Pacific

The marine heatwave in the center of the basin around 180°W and 50°N remains stable. The marine heatwave between the Philippines and Papua New Guinea increases in intensity and decreases in extent with moderate to strong categories. 

South Pacific

The marine heatwave off the west coast of South America and northeast of New Zealand decreases in extent. The marine heatwave in the centre of the basin increases in extent with moderate to strong categories.  

Southern Ocean 

The marine heatwave present between 60°E and 120°E increases in intensity with mostly strong categories.

Weekly temperature anomalies

Average sea surface temperature anomalies for the week of the 22 to 28 February 2026.

 

Mer Méditerranée  0 °C to 2°C 
North Atlantic -3< °C to 2°C 
South Atlantic -2°C to >2°C 
North Pacific   -1.5°C to >3°C 
South Pacific -1°C to 3°C  
Southern Ocean  -0.5°C to 1.5°C 

 

Forecasts for 26 February 2026

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NOTES

Datasets and products: Global Ocean Physics Analysis and Forecast (sea surface temperature) E.U. Copernicus Marine Service/ Mercator Ocean International. https://doi.org/10.48670/moi-00016