The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has announced that June 2023 was the hottest June on record, surpassing the previous global record by nearly a quarter of a degree Celsius.
The global average temperature for June reached 16.55 degrees Celsius, which is 1.89 degrees Celsius above the 20th-century average. This marks the first time that a summer month has been more than a degree Celsius hotter than normal globally.
Other reputable weather monitoring systems had already identified June as the hottest on record, but NOAA's extensive data dating back 174 years solidifies its status as the gold standard for record-keeping. The significant increase from the previous record demonstrates the magnitude of the temperature rise, which is typically measured in hundredths, not quarters, of a degree.
NOAA projects a 20% chance that 2023 will become the hottest year on record, with the following year being more likely to claim that title.
However, the likelihood of breaking temperature records is increasing, and experts such as Kim Cobb from Brown University predict a close competition between 2016, 2020, and 2023 for the hottest year ever recorded.
Berkeley Earth's Robert Rohde estimates an 80% chance that 2023 will ultimately become the hottest year on record.
The trend of increasing temperatures is expected to persist. July typically ranks as the hottest month of the year, with the current record for July and any month being 16.71 degrees Celsius, set in both July 2019 and July 2021.
An initial analysis by the University of Maine's Climate Reanalyzer suggests that the first twelve days of July have already broken temperature records.
The Japanese Meteorological Agency and the World Meteorological Organization confirm that the world has just experienced its hottest week on record.
NOAA reports extremely high water temperatures of 36.7 degrees Celsius near the Everglades in Florida and 36.1 degrees Celsius near the Florida Keys. Additionally, forecasters anticipate near-world record temperatures of around 54.4 degrees Celsius in Death Valley this weekend.
June 2023 marked the hottest June on record, with global temperatures surpassing the previous record by nearly a quarter of a degree Celsius. The trend continued into July, which is expected to be the hottest month.
Global oceans also set temperature records for the third consecutive month. These extreme weather events, including fires, pollution, and flooding, serve as indicators of the worsening impacts of climate change.
The first half of 2023 ranked as the third hottest January through June period on record, with 2023 having a 20% chance of becoming the hottest year on record.
Scientists predict a close competition between 2016, 2020, and 2023 for the hottest year title, with an 80% chance that 2023 will claim the record. July has already seen numerous days breaking temperature records, with the Japanese Meteorological Agency and the World Meteorological Organization declaring it the hottest week on record.
The significant temperature rise can be attributed to long-term global warming caused by human-generated greenhouse gas emissions and the influence of a moderate El Nino. While El Nino and La Nina have short-term effects on temperature fluctuations, their impact is overshadowed by the long-term consequences of human-induced climate change.
Experts emphasize that climate change is an ongoing driver of rising temperatures, creating a permanent "super El Nino" effect that adds heat to the atmosphere each decade.
In June, global sea ice levels, including those in Antarctica, reached unprecedented lows, as reported by NOAA. Climate scientist Friederike Otto from the Imperial College of London emphasized that unless the burning of fossil fuels is halted, the situation will deteriorate further.
Heat records will continue to be broken, and both human populations and ecosystems are already struggling to cope with the current circumstances. The need for immediate action to address climate change is paramount to prevent worsening impacts.