Data from the US National Centers for Environmental Prediction show that July 3 was the hottest day ever observed on Earth.
The US National Centers for Environmental Prediction (via Reuters) reports that Monday was the hottest day ever measured by meteorologists. Since satellite monitoring of global temperatures began in 1979, July 3rd, 2023 marked the first day that average worldwide temperatures surpassed 17 degrees Celsius (62.62 degrees Fahrenheit). In addition, according to scientists, Monday was the warmest day ever recorded since people started keeping track of daily temperatures in the late 19th century. In August 2016, when the global average temperature reached 16.92C (62.45F), the previous record was set. As heat waves sweltered around the globe, the average worldwide temperature rose to 17.01 degrees Celsius (62.62 degrees Fahrenheit), breaking the previous record of 16.92C (62.46F) set in August 2016.
An extreme heat dome has been plaguing the southern US. A persistent heat wave with temperatures exceeding 35C (95F) continued in China.
Temperatures in North Africa have been about 50 C (122 F). Additionally, Antarctica recorded unusually high temperatures. With a temperature of 8.7C (47.6F), the Ukrainian Vernadsky Research Base in the Argentine Islands broke its July record.
Friederike Otto, a climate scientist, remarked, “This is not a milestone we should be celebrating.”
This week, a heat dome has caused local temperatures in the southern US to soar above 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43 degrees Celsius). Even areas that aren’t typically known for their mild weather have recently had unusually warm temperatures, with the Vernadsky Research Base in Antarctica reaching a July high of 8.7C.
Scientists believe that a combination of El Nio and continuous greenhouse gas emissions caused by humans are to blame for the recent heat. Studies have revealed that the frequency, length, and temperature of heat waves are increasing due to climate change.
