Globally, the surface temperature on Earth in July was 2.02 degrees Fahrenheit greater than the 20th century's average temperature, which was 60.4 degrees Fahrenheit, data shows. It marked the first July in recorded history where the temperature exceeded 1.8 degrees above the long-term average, according to NOAA, which noted that the latest temperature record was also 0.36 degrees warmer than the previous July record, set in 2021.
"July 2023 marked the 47th-consecutive July and the 533rd-consecutive month with temperatures at least nominally above the 20th-century average," the agency said. This past July also marked the fourth consecutive month where global ocean surface temperatures reached a new record high, owing in part to the onset of El Niño, a recurring climate pattern determined by sea surface temperatures and precipitation levels across the equatorial Pacific. NOAA announced the arrival of El Niño, the"warm phase" of the climate cycle that replaces its counterpart, La Niña, in June.
According to data collected by NASA, the five hottest Julys since the agency started tracking temperatures in 1880 have happened in the last five years. This year's record-breaking heat hit certain parts of the globe harder than others, with portions of South America, North Africa, North America and the Arctic Peninsula experiencing especially blistering weather. In those places, July temperatures in 2023 stood at about 7.
"NASA data confirms what billions around the world literally felt: temperatures in July 2023 made it the hottest month on record. In every corner of the country, Americans are right now experiencing firsthand the effects of the climate crisis, underscoring the urgency of President Biden's historic climate agenda," NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said in a statement."The science is clear. We must act now to protect our communities and planet; it's the only one we have.