July 2024 has been confirmed as the second hottest month globally on record, marking a significant milestone in a 13-month streak of unprecedented warmth, according to the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service. The month was 1.48 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial average of 1850-1990, with the last 12 months averaging an alarming 1.64 degrees Celsius above this baseline due to the impacts of climate change.
This extreme heat has been attributed primarily to greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel industries. Despite the conclusion of the El Nino event, which contributed to the rising temperatures, Copernicus climate researcher Julien Nicolas warned in a Reuters report, “We are not done with temperature records causing heatwaves … We know this long-term warming trend can be with a very high level of confidence related to the human impact on climate.”
July also saw the two hottest days ever recorded, with above-average temperatures noted across southern and eastern Europe, the western United States, western Canada, most of Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and eastern Antarctica. In contrast, parts of northwestern Europe, western Antarctica, and other regions experienced near or below-average temperatures.
The month was wetter than usual in northern Europe and southeastern Turkey, while drought conditions continued to affect southern and eastern Europe. Additionally, Arctic sea ice levels fell 7% below average, though not as severely as the 14% drop in 2020, and Antarctic sea ice reached its second lowest extent for July at 11% below average.
Global sea temperatures remained near record highs, trailing only slightly behind July 2023, raising concerns about potential shifts in ocean currents. “What we saw was surprising in terms of how much warmer it has been,” Nicolas added, questioning the broader impacts on ocean patterns outside of the typical El Nino or La Nina events.