LONDON: According to preliminary data from the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service, July 21 was recorded as the hottest day ever globally.
The international average surface air temperature on Sunday soared to 17.09 degrees Celsius (62.76 degrees Fahrenheit) higher than the previous record set last July of 17.08 C (62.74 F).
Heatwaves have hit large areas of the United States, Europe and Russia over the previous week. Copernicus confirmed that the record daily mercury average recorded last year appeared to have been broken on Sunday.
Last year witnessed four days in a row break the record, from July 3 through July 6, as climate change, triggered by the burning of fossil fuels, brought extreme heat across the Northern Hemisphere.
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Copernicus said each month since June 2023 – 13 months in a row – has now ranked as Earth’s hottest since records started, compared with the corresponding month in previous years.
Some scientists have said 2024 could surpass 2023 as the hottest year since records began, as climate change and the El Nino natural weather phenomenon that ended in April have pushed temperatures higher this year.
