“July 2024 Ranked as Second Hottest Month on Record, EU Climate Service Reports”

“July 2024 Ranked as Second Hottest Month on Record, EU Climate Service Reports”

July 2024 has been confirmed as the second-warmest July and the second-hottest month ever recorded, according to data released on Thursday by the European Union’s climate change service, Copernicus.

The global average temperature for July 2024 reached 16.91 degrees Celsius, just 0.04 degrees Celsius cooler than July 2023, which holds the record as the hottest month in history. Prior to this, monthly average temperatures had set new records every month since May 2023.

“The streak of record-breaking months has ended, but by the narrowest of margins. However, the larger picture remains unchanged—our climate continues to warm,” said Samantha Burgess, deputy director of the Copernicus Climate Change Service. “The devastating effects of climate change began long before 2023 and will persist until global greenhouse gas emissions reach net-zero.”

Copernicus data also revealed that from August 2023 to July 2024, the global average temperature was 1.64 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. Additionally, the planet experienced its two hottest days ever in July 2024, with the global average temperature peaking at 17.16 degrees Celsius on July 22 and 17.15 degrees Celsius on July 23.

In Europe, the average temperature in July 2024 was 1.49 degrees Celsius higher than the average for the same month from 1991 to 2020, making it the second warmest July on record for the continent. Temperatures were particularly high in southern and Eastern Europe, while parts of north-western Europe saw near or below-average temperatures.

The Copernicus Climate Change Service regularly publishes data on various climate indicators, including earth surface temperatures, sea ice cover, and precipitation. Their findings are based on computer-generated analyses that incorporate billions of measurements from satellites, ships, aircraft, and weather stations worldwide.