Earth Shatters Record Again for Hottest Summer: Feeling the Heat

Summer 2024 has been recorded as the hottest season on record, according to Copernicus, the European climate service. With the world sweltering under extreme temperatures, it is highly likely that this year will be the warmest ever documented in human history.

This alarming trend mirrors the unprecedented heat recorded last year. Climate scientists attribute these rising temperatures largely to human-induced climate change, with a contributing factor being a temporary boost from the El Niño phenomenon.

The average temperature during the northern meteorological summer—which includes June, July, and August—was 16.8 degrees Celsius (62.24 degrees Fahrenheit). This marks a slight increase of 0.03 degrees Celsius (0.05 degrees Fahrenheit) compared to the previous record set in 2023. Historical data from Copernicus, which dates back to 1940, alongside records from American, British, and Japanese sources beginning in the mid-19th century, suggest that the past decade has been the hottest in recorded history, possibly the warmest in roughly 120,000 years, as estimated by some scientists.

In an unusual twist, both Augusts of 2024 and 2023 were found to be equally scorching, reaching an average temperature of 16.82 degrees Celsius (62.27 degrees Fahrenheit). Although July did not break any records, trailing slightly behind the figures from 2023, the heat recorded in June 2024 was notably higher than that of June 2023. As a result, the entirety of Summer 2024 has been declared the hottest on record, according to Carlo Buontempo, the director of Copernicus.

Stefan Rahmstorf, a climate scientist from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Research, remarked on the implications of these statistics, stating, “What those sober numbers indicate is how the climate crisis is tightening its grip on us.” This tightening grip manifests as higher temperatures and humidity levels worldwide, likely near or at record highs, as noted by Buontempo.

Initially, Buontempo, along with other climate researchers, was uncertain whether 2024 would surpass the record-breaking year of 2023. This hesitation was primarily due to the remarkably high August of 2023. However, with 2024’s August temperatures mirroring those of the previous year, Buontempo has grown increasingly confident that this year will indeed set a new benchmark for heat.

“For 2024 not to become the warmest on record, we would need to see very significant cooling measures in the landscape for the remaining months, which currently seems unlikely,” Buontempo added.

The next few months may not be record-breakers, particularly with a predicted La Niña on the horizon, which typically brings a temporary cooling of certain regions in the central Pacific. However, Buontempo asserts that this natural phenomenon is unlikely to cool 2024 enough to avoid shattering last year’s annual heat record.

These escalating temperatures are not just statistical anomalies; they are translating into severe weather conditions affecting people’s lives. Jonathan Overpeck, a climate scientist and dean at the University of Michigan, highlighted the real-world impacts of this heatwave.“This all translates to more misery around the world,” he said, referencing hot spots like Phoenix, which has already logged over 100 days of temperatures exceeding 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.8 degrees Celsius) this year. He emphasized how lengthened and intensified heatwaves contribute to severe drought in some regions and cause heavier rain and flooding in others, underscoring the urgency of addressing climate change as an unavoidable reality with tangible costs.

Jennifer Francis, a climate scientist at the Woodwell Climate Research Center, echoed these sentiments, noting the surge of extreme weather events, including heat waves, floods, wildfires, and intense windstorms, which have collectively become perilous and damaging. She likened the situation to living under constant threats, likening people’s desensitization to alarming climatic changes to being in a conflict zone.

While the record heat of last year was influenced by an El Niño event, that temporary effect has diminished. The primary driving force behind this year’s temperatures remains the long-term, human-induced climate change prompted by the combustion of fossil fuels. Buontempo noted, “It’s really not surprising that we see this heat wave and these temperature extremes. We are bound to see more.”

Source: Associated Press