July Set to Break Record as Earth’s Hottest Month
Children play in a fountain to cool off in downtown Portland, Ore., Friday, May 12, 2023. An early May heat wave this weekend could surpass daily records in parts of the Pacific Northwest and worsen wildfires already burning in western Canada, a historically temperate region that has grappled with scorching summer temperatures and unprecedented wildfires fueled by climate change in recent years. InternationalIndiaAfricaThe scorching summer heat is affecting regions across North America, Europe and Asia, among other areas, marking an extraordinary year for global temperatures.July is set to become Earth’s warmest month on record, according to the EU climate monitor, as the planet experiences an extended period of exceptional warmth.Notably, last month was the hottest June ever recorded, with July 6 being the hottest day. There is a growing likelihood that 2023 will surpass 2016 as the hottest year, continuing the trend of the past eight years being the warmest on record.
“The extreme weather which has affected many millions of people in July is unfortunately the harsh reality…” said Petteri Taalas, the secretary general of the World Meteorological Organization.
The world has entered a period of exceptional warmth, with the effects of human-induced greenhouse gas emissions compounded by the El Niño climate pattern, known for causing hotter conditions in various regions.However, the unprecedented breaking of global temperature records by large margins raises questions about the potential influence of other factors, less well-understood than global warming and El Niño.WorldBiden’s Climate Change Plan to Blot Out the Sun Risks Catastrophic Consequences4 July, 17:12 GMTWhile El Niño may not have been a dominant factor in North America this summer, its presence could still influence weather patterns later in the year and into 2024, especially if the oceans remain warmer than average. Still, further investigation is required to understand the extent of the planet’s abnormal heat this summer.Scientists are also examining changes in jet streams, which influence weather systems around the world. The narrowing temperature differences between the Arctic and Equator due to global warming may be weakening the jet stream, leading to prolonged heat waves.
Several regions are currently experiencing intense heat waves as July nears its end, with the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic of the US facing dangerous heat.
Heat waves are also affecting North Africa, southeastern Europe, Turkiye, Canada and the Mediterranean, contributing to wildfires in those areas.