This year sees the hottest July till date: World Meteorological Organization

July this year is on track to becoming the hottest July on record till date. The first three weeks of the month have been the warmest period on temperature scale so far, according to the World Meteorological Organization.

This analysis is based on data from the European Environment Agency (ERA5) produced by the EU-funded Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S).

According to the ERA5 climate data, prior to July 2023, July 2019 was the hottest month on measure. The global mean temperature temporarily exceeded the 1.5° Celsius threshold above the pre-industrial level during the first and third week of the month. The daily average global mean surface air temperature recorded on July 6 surpassed the record set in August 2016, making it the hottest day on record, with July 5 and July 7 falling shortly behind.

Another study conducted by climate researcher Dr Karsten Haustein of Leipzig University in Germany reiterates the same. It says July this year is the warmest July by a wide margin, ~0.2°C (+/-0.1°C) above the previous record.

As per Haustein‘s data analysis of temperatures recorded across July, the global average near-surface temperature in the month has exceeded the previous warmest July by a considerable margin. Using forecast data until the end of the month, the analysis found that July 2023 has been 0.2°C warmer than July 2019.

“Not only will it be the warmest July, but the warmest month ever in terms of absolute global mean temperature. We may have to go back thousands if not tens of thousands of years to find similarly warm conditions on our planet,” says Haustein.

Impact of global warming

The climate reports of C3S suggest that the extreme temperatures are related to heatwaves experienced in large parts of North America, Asia and Europe. The heatwaves, along with wildfires in countries such as Canada and Greece, have had a major impact on people’s health, the environment, and economies.

“Record-breaking temperatures are part of the trend of drastic increases in global temperatures. Anthropogenic emissions are ultimately the main driver of these rising temperatures,” said Carlo Buontempo, Director of Copernicus Climate Change Service, in a response to these observations.

He also said, “July’s record is unlikely to remain isolated this year; C3S’ seasonal forecasts indicate that over land areas temperatures are likely to be well above average, exceeding the 80th percentile of climatology for the time of year.”

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According to Professor Petteri Taalas, Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), climatic changes are a harsh reality and a foretaste of the future.

“The need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is more urgent than ever before. Climate action is not a luxury but a must,” said Taalas.

As per WMO prediction, there is a 98% likelihood that at least one of the next five years will be the warmest on record.

C3S, implemented by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, on behalf of the European Commission, routinely monitors climate. It has also been closely following recent developments in global air and sea surface temperatures. The WMO consolidates data from C3S and five other international datasets for its climate monitoring activities.