Hot Stuff! Stats Show the Earth Just Scorched Its Way to Another Record
August 14, 2023 When it comes to weather headlines, heat usually dominates headlines this time of year. It’s still summer in the Northern Hemisphere after all. However, NOAA scientists say this year is taking things to a whole new level. In fact, the government agency is reporting that Earth just experienced its hottest July on record. That’s 174 years of recordkeeping, by the way.
Statistics show the average global surface temperature in July was 2.02°F above average. NOAA says because July is the globe’s warmest month of the year from a climatological perspective, July 2023 also was likely Earth’s hottest month on record.
Here are some key data points from NOAA’s latest report:
- July 2023 was the first time an average July temperature exceeded 1.8°F above the long-term average.
- Last month was 0.36°F warmer than the previous July record from 2021.
- July 2023 marked the 47th-consecutive July and the 533rd-consecutive month with temperatures above the 20th-century average.
Not only are land surface temperatures setting records, but also sea surface temperatures have been rising to new heights.
According to NOAA, global ocean surface temperature hit a record high for the fourth consecutive month as El Niño conditions strengthen. Globally, July 2023 set a record for the highest monthly sea surface temperature anomaly — which indicates how much warmer or cooler temperatures are from the long-term average — of any month in NOAA’s climate record, with an anomaly of 1.78°F.
Coming to a Boil
Water temperatures around parts of Florida have been hovering around 100°F. A few weeks ago, news headlines lit up as water sensors near Everglades National Park recorded a mind-blowing 101.1°F.
Up to date, the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season has been quiet. Forecasters though are starting to see conditions become more conducive for tropical activity. All the extra warm water in place now could provide extra fuel if a system were to develop.
Through the first seven months of the year, 2023 is ranking as the third-warmest on record. According to NOAA, it is almost certain 2023 will rank among the five-warmest years on record, with a nearly 50% probability that it will rank as the warmest on record.
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