Satellite image shows red hot Mediterranean Sea

Sea surface temperature peaked at 6°C above average in the western Mediterranean Sea on Monday, satellite imagery published by Copernicus Marine Service shows.

The EU satellite service said in a release on Tuesday that after the marine heatwave of the end of May 2026, intense temperatures which affected western and central Europe during late June caused further warming of the surrounding seas.

The data visualisation (photo above) shows sea surface temperature anomalies on 29 June 2026. The red and dark red tones show areas where  sea surface temperatures above the long-term average were recorded.

“The largest anomalies reached approximately 6°C in the western Mediterranean Sea, particularly in the Gulf of Lion off the coast of southern France, and in the Ligurian and Tyrrhenian seas along the western coast of Italy,” the agency said.

Sea surface temperature anomalies also increased markedly in the southern North Sea and the Baltic Sea compared with late May.

The Copernicus Marine Service data help track the development of marine heatwaves, support the assessment of ocean conditions, and the monitoring of potential risks to marine ecosystems globally.

The latest EU data confirms the findings by MCAST Professor Aldo Drago, who forecast sea temperatures around Malta would reach 28°C over the Mnarja weekend. The unusually warm swimming conditions were evident on Monday and expected to persist at least today.

Drago noted that the warmest waters would stretch from Mellieħa Bay to Bengħajsa Reef near Birżebbuġa by early afternoon on Mnarja Day (29 june), while slightly cooler temperatures were expected in the waters south of Gozo.

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