Recent Copernicus ERA5 analyses and supporting datasets show September 2026 global surface temperatures reached about 1.63°C above pre-industrial levels, placing the month firmly behind only the record September 2023 while exceeding 2024 and 2025. Persistent El Niño-driven ocean heat release, record or near-record sea surface temperatures outside polar regions, and the underlying anthropogenic warming trend sustained these elevated anomalies through the month. Official monitoring confirms the outcome aligns closely with mid-September projections, driving the market's overwhelming 96.9% implied probability for second-hottest. Minor final dataset revisions remain possible but are unlikely to reorder the top rankings given the margin observed.