Second-hottest July breaks 13-month record streak, EU scientists say

The European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service stated on Thursday that last month was the second-hottest July on record for the world, ending a 13-month run when every month was the warmest, partly due to the strengthening El Nino weather pattern.

July 2024 was 1.48 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial reference of 1850-1990, Copernicus said in a monthly report, while the last 12 months were 1.64 C above the pre-industrial average due to climate change.

The month also recorded the two hottest days on record.

Copernicus attributes the high temperatures largely to greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel-based industries, and noted that oceans not normally impacted by El Nino saw an unusual rise in temperatures.

"This El Nino has ended, but this magnitude of global temperature rises. The big picture is quite similar to where we were a year ago," Julien Nicolas, a climate researcher with Copernicus, said.

Above-average temperatures were recorded in southern and eastern Europe, the western United States, western Canada, most of Africa, the Middle East, Asia and eastern Antarctica.

Near- or below-average temperatures were seen in northwestern Europe, western Antarctica, parts of the United States, South America and Australia.

July 2024 was also wetter than average in northern Europe and southeastern Turkey, while drought warnings persisted in southern and eastern Europe.

Arctic sea ice was down more than in 2022 and 2023 at 7 percent below average, though not as severe as the record 14-percent drop in 2020. Antarctic sea ice was at its second-lowest extent for July, at 11 percent below average compared with 15 percent below in July last year.

Global sea temperatures remained at near-record highs, with this July only 0.1 C below July last year, ending a 15-month consecutive new record streak.

"What we saw was surprising in terms of how much warmer it has been. That raises the question of what is happening to the ocean outside this natural climate pattern like El Nino or La Nina events. Are there shifts in the ocean currents?" Nicolas said.

(Cover image via CFP)