Soaring Temperatures Shatter Records Worldwide During the Month of July, With Land and Sea Temperatures at an All-Time High
July 2022 has been marked by unprecedented heatwaves, breaking numerous temperature records and raising alarm bells about the escalating climate crisis.
According to data visualized by C3S/ECMWF, the global mean surface air temperature for the first 23 days of July reached an astonishing 16.95°C. This makes July the hottest month in at least 120,000 years, surpassing the previous record set in June 2020.
The hottest three-week period ever recorded also occurred in July, with temperatures soaring across the globe. In some places like Florida, ocean temperatures surpassed the 38°C (100°F) mark, a level more commonly associated with hot tubs than the open sea.
Ocean temperatures have been particularly noteworthy. In recent months, the highest ocean temperatures have been primarily along the western coast of South America, South Asia, and Australia due to El Niño conditions causing exceptional warming. However, WMO predictions indicate a shift to La Niña with cooling in the equatorial Pacific from September 2025 onward.
Secretary-General António Guterres has emphasized the need for immediate and dramatic climate action. He stated that the era of global boiling has arrived and that the planet has already risen 1°C in temperature. Guterres urged that there should be no more hesitancy, no more excuses, and no more waiting for others to move first regarding climate action.
The findings underscore the need for urgent action to limit temperature rise to 1.5°C and avoid the worst of climate change. Predictions for 2.7°C warming or more would have catastrophic environmental, social, and economic impacts. The need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is more urgent than ever before.
WMO predictions indicate a 98% chance that at least one of the next five years will be the hottest on record. The global mean temperature temporarily surpassed the 1.5°C threshold above pre-industrial levels during the first and third week of July, according to data sourced from ERA5.
Guterres' call for action is timely. As the world grapples with record-breaking temperatures, it's clear that the time for talk is over. The need for decisive action is urgent, and the stakes are higher than ever before.
