A far-reaching heat dome has resulted in record-shattering temperatures over the Southern United States throughout July, and dangerous heat expanded its grips into the Midwest and Northeast this week. By far, the unprecedented heat has not been limited to North America.
On Thursday, the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) announced that July’s monthly global average temperature is on track to be the highest ever reported. During the first and third weeks of July, the global average temperature was more than 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit (1.5 degrees Celsius) above preindustrial levels.
With only a few days remaining in the month, it is a near certainty that July will go down in the record books, beating the old record for the highest global average temperature that currently belongs to July of 2019.
“Unless an ice age were to appear all of sudden out of nothing, it is basically virtually certain we will break the record for the warmest July on record and the warmest month on record,” Copernicus Director Carlo Buontempo told The Associated Press.
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A man runs along a small road in the outskirts of Frankfurt, Germany, as the sun rises early, July 13, 2023. July has been so hot so far that scientists calculate that this month will be the hottest globally on record and likely the warmest human civilization has seen, even though there are several days left to sweat. (AP PHOTO/MICHAEL PROBST, FILE)
It’s not just the heat on the land that is driving up global average temperatures, but also unusually warm conditions across the world’s oceans.
El Niño officially developed in the Pacific Ocean in early June, according to NOAA. El Niño is a regular climate pattern that occurs when the water temperature near the equator in the eastern Pacific Ocean is at least 0.9 of a degree F (0.5 of a degree C) above the historical average for three consecutive months.
Other marine heat waves contributed to the global temperature average, including the hot tublike waters off the coast of Florida, which is raising concerns about coral bleaching.
Significant marine heat waves were also ongoing in the Northern Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Canada and in the Northern Pacific Ocean near Japan.
A map showing sea surface temperature anomalies worldwide on Wednesday, July 26, 2023. Areas of yellow, orange and red indicate where water temperatures are above the historical average, and blue represents areas where temperatures are below the historical average. (NOAA),
The widespread warmth can affect weather patterns in the coming months, particularly in the tropics.
With water temperatures above the historical average across the entire Atlantic basin, AccuWeather is predicting an active hurricane season. AccuWeather long-range expert Paul Pastelok explained that if a tropical system tracks over a pool of unusually warm water, it could lead to rapid development and strengthening, similar to Hurricane Ian as it neared landfall in Florida last September and briefly exploded into Category 5 hurricane strength.
The complete breakdown of global temperatures in July will not be published by C3S until Aug. 8.
Meteorological experts anticipate delayed fall transition, heightened wildfire threats, and severe weather outbreaks this autumn. As autumn colors emerge, weather patterns will shift across the United States.
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