World Experiences Hottest July on Record, Say US Scientists

A record-breaking heatwave has extended its grip on the globe, with US scientists announcing that last month marked the hottest July ever recorded, part of a continuous 15-month streak of temperature highs.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa), July 2024 was approximately 1.2°C (2.1°F) warmer than the global average, making it the hottest July on record. This extends a series of unprecedented monthly temperature records that began in June 2023.

"The streak began in June 2023 and has now surpassed the previous record streak set between 2015 and 2016," said Karin Gleason, chief of the monitoring section at Noaa's National Centers for Environmental Information. She noted that July's record-breaking warmth edged out last July's temperature by a narrow margin.

The scorching temperatures last month resulted in new July records for Europe and Africa, while North America experienced its second hottest July ever. About 20% of the Earth's land surface hit new temperature records, with only the southern tip of South America experiencing cooler-than-average conditions.

The world's oceans, which have been subjected to unprecedented heat levels over the past year, saw July 2024 become the second hottest July on record, breaking a string of 15 consecutive months of record-setting ocean temperatures.

July was marked by intense heatwaves that swept across regions such as southern Europe and vast areas of the United States. Unusually, the global daily average temperature record was broken twice in two consecutive days during the month.

Noaa's findings slightly differ from those of the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service, which reported that July was the second hottest on record.

On Thursday, Noaa also stated that there is now a 77% chance that 2024 will surpass the current record for the hottest year ever, a record set just last year. Additionally, the agency noted a two-thirds likelihood of a La Niña climate event developing by September, which could bring cooler conditions. This would contrast with El Niño, a phenomenon that has recently driven global temperatures to new highs.

"What's truly remarkable is the sheer magnitude of the temperature difference between the last 13 months and previous records," commented Carlo Buontempo, director of the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service, after the daily record was set on July 21. "We are entering uncharted territory, and as the climate continues to warm, we can expect new records to be set in the coming months and years."

Climate experts have emphasized that this heightened heat is a stark indication of the ongoing climate crisis, driven largely by the burning of fossil fuels. They warn that current efforts to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels are insufficient.

"With temperatures rising at this pace, we must do everything in our power to reduce the emissions driving climate change more swiftly," said Drew Shindell, a climate scientist at Duke University. "This means accelerating the transition away from fossil fuels, cutting methane emissions this decade, and addressing agricultural emissions as well. These measures are challenging, but the consequences of inaction are escalating rapidly, pushing us far beyond the 1.5°C target, with increasing temperatures every year we delay."