World temperature records were broken earlier this week when the average global temperature hit 17.18C. Experts expect the record to be broken again very soon because data suggests, that this year’s warmest days are still to come – and with them the warmest days ever recorded. Until the start of this week, the hottest day on record was in 2016, during the last El Niño global weather event, when the global average temperature reached 16.92C.
On Tuesday the 4th of July, the World Meteorological Organization, the UN’s weather body, confirmed El Niño had returned. Combined with the increased heat from anthropogenic global heating, it will lead to more record-breaking temperatures.
For two straight days, the global average temperature spiked into uncharted territory.
Overall, one of the largest contributors to this week’s heat records is an exceptionally mild winter in the Antarctic. Parts of the continent and nearby ocean were 10-20C (18-36F) higher than averages from 1979 to 2000.
Temperatures have been unusual over the ocean and especially around the Antarctic the past week, because wind fronts over the Southern Ocean are strong pushing warm air deeper south.
The UN secretary general has said that “climate change is out of control”, as an unofficial analysis of data showed that average world temperatures in the seven days to Wednesday were the hottest week on record.
“If we persist in delaying key measures that are needed, I think we are moving into a catastrophic situation, as the last two records in temperature demonstrates,” António Guterres said, referring to the world temperature records broken on Monday and Tuesday.
Silent Spring Consultants is currently working on the pressing issue of extreme heat risk and more about this can be found here
2023-Sources: Guardian, UN.