The European Union Climate Change Service confirmed on Wednesday that Summer 2023 was the hottest ever recorded. With temperatures averaging 16.8 degrees Celsius (62.2F), the three months spanning June through August surpassed previous records by a notable 0.66C above the average.
In a continued trend, August joined June and July as the third consecutive month to break global temperature records. Specifically, August temperatures were estimated to be around 1.5 degrees Celsius higher than the average of the pre-industrial period (1850-1900). These alarming figures underscore the importance of the Paris international climate change agreement’s aim, signed by 196 countries, to cap the global temperature rise at 1.5 degrees Celsius.
As for specifics, July 2023 stood out as the hottest month ever documented. Additionally, August’s high temperatures solidified the northern hemisphere’s summer of 2023 as the hottest since official record-keeping began in 1940.
Copernicus deputy head, Samantha Burgess, highlighted the worrying trend: “Global temperature records continue to tumble in 2023. The scientific consensus is undeniable: until we curtail greenhouse gas emissions, we can expect more shattered climate records and a surge in extreme weather events that impact both society and the environment.”
Last month, Europe saw varied weather extremes. While central Europe and Scandinavia grappled with higher-than-average rainfall leading to floods, countries such as France, Greece, Italy, and Portugal battled drought-induced wildfires. August also brought unusually high temperatures to regions including Australia, parts of South America, and a significant expanse of Antarctica.
In marine trends, global oceans registered the highest daily surface temperature ever recorded, making August the warmest oceanic month to date.
As 2023 heads towards its close, current data reveals it as the second-hottest year on record, closely tailing 2016.