全球 2 月气温较前工业时期高 1.49°C，列入有纪录以来 2 月最热前五名，仅略低于 1.5°C 的关键门槛；若该水准持续超过 20 年，科学家认为可能引发不可逆变化。La Niña 的暂时性冷却效应目前稍微压低长期升温，但暖化仍使大气每升高 1°C 约可多容纳 7% 水气，因而加剧蒸发、强降雨与风暴，同时使部分陆地更易干燥。
这些大气河流已对欧洲冬季农业区造成压力并扰乱蔬果供应。英国农民警告作物在土中腐烂，因 2 月降雨量较平均值高 23%，而英格兰更较长期平均高出 70%。另有研究显示，自 2015 年以来全球暖化出现具有统计显著性的加速；2026 年 2 月平均海表温度达 20.88°C，为 2 月并列历史第二高，北极海冰则较平均低 5%，为该月份第三低。
Copernicus said “exceptional” atmospheric rivers in western and southern Europe in February 2026 brought record rainfall and widespread flooding to France, Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, while much of the rest of Europe was unusually dry. The same wet-dry contrast appeared globally: Australia, Mozambique, and Botswana were wetter than usual, while the southern US, northern Mexico, easternmost China, parts of South America, and south-east Africa were drier than usual.
Global temperatures in February were 1.49C above the preindustrial level, placing the month among the five hottest Februaries on record and only slightly below the critical 1.5C threshold; if sustained for more than 20 years, scientists say that level could trigger irreversible change. La Nina’s temporary cooling effect has slightly muted longer-term warming, but warming still allows the atmosphere to hold about 7 per cent more moisture for every 1C rise, intensifying evaporation, heavy rainfall, and storms while drying some land areas.
These atmospheric rivers strained Europe’s winter-growing regions and disrupted fruit and vegetable supplies. UK farmers warned that crops were rotting in the ground because February was 23 per cent wetter than average, while England recorded 70 per cent more rain than its long-term average. Separate research found a statistically significant acceleration in global warming since 2015; average sea surface temperature reached 20.88C in February 2026, tying the second-highest February level on record, and Arctic sea ice was 5 per cent below average, the third-lowest for the month.