Here’s Where Global Heat Records Stand So Far in July
Though global average temperatures dipped during the second week of July, they have remained above the highest temperatures ever recorded before this year. The first two weeks of July were very likely the warmest two-week period on record, according to the analysis by the Copernicus Climate Change Service.
Last month was also the warmest June since at least 1850, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The extreme heat and record temperatures are driven by the continued emissions of heat-trapping gases, mainly from the burning of fossil fuels, and in part by the return of El Niño, a cyclical weather pattern that tends to be associated with warmer years globally.
Earth has warmed roughly 2 degrees Fahrenheit since the 19th century and will continue to grow hotter until humans essentially stop burning oil, gas and coal, and halt deforestation, scientists say. The warmer temperatures help make periods of extreme heat more frequent and more intense and exacerbate other extreme weather events like persistent drought, wildfires and torrential rain and flooding.
Source: The New York Times
