July 3 marks hottest day ever: What's causing temperature rise
What's the story
This Monday i.e. July 3 was the hottest day ever on Earth.
For the first time, the global temperature exceeded an average of 17 degrees Celsius, according to the US National Centers for Environmental Prediction.
This is the highest-ever temperature that the world has seen since records started in 1979. What's worrying is that temperatures are likely to soar higher over the next year.
Record
July 3 logged record-high average temperature of 17.01 degrees Celsius
The average global temperature on July 3 reached 17.01 degrees Celsius. It beats the former record of 16.92 degrees Celsius recorded in August, 2016, per BBC.
Generally, the world's mean temperature swings between roughly 12 degrees Celsius to just below 17 degrees Celsius on any given day.
Between 1979-2000, global temperatures averaged 16.2 degrees in July, exceeding it for the first time this year.
Measurements
Mean global temperature rises until July-end or start of August
It is estimated that the current daily average temperature record could be broken as the northern hemisphere has entered into the summer season.
In general, the mean global temperature sees a rise until the end of July or the start of August.
That being said, the current temperature record will soon be substantiated by further measurements.
Records
Last month was the warmest in south India since 1901
Last month was the warmest in south India since 1901, according to India Meteorological Department. The average maximum temperature in the region stood at 34.05 degrees Celsius. The UK also saw its hottest June this year.
In addition, the average global temperatures were the warmest in June according to what the European Union's Copernicus climate monitoring sector has recorded for the start of June.
Reason
What's driving the temperature rise?
While one reason behind the record-high increase in daily global temperature is the increasing amount of carbon dioxide emissions, the other one is the onset of the naturally occurring El Nino weather event.
As of now, anthropogenic activities, especially the burning of fossil fuels, release about 40 billion tonnes of planet-warming carbon dioxide gas into the atmosphere each year.
El Nino
El Nino could exacerbate the rise in global temperatures
Experts predict global temperature will likely increase over the next year given that El Nino—a weather phenomenon that affects climate patterns across the world—has started.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) confirmed on Monday the onset of El Nino. The last significant El Nino event happened in 2016, which brought about the hottest year on record so far.
Heatwaves
Several parts of the world are witnessing intense heatwave
The announcement of the new temperature record comes at a time when heat waves are gripping several parts of the world.
The southern US has been witnessing an intense heatwave in recent weeks. Parts of China have recorded temperatures of more than 35 degrees Celsius due to a lasting heatwave and North Africa has clocked temperatures close to 50 degrees Celsius.
Official words
'The first in a series of new records'
Commenting on the new temperature record announced on Tuesday, Zeke Hausfather, who is a research scientist at Berkeley Earth, said: "Unfortunately, it promises to only be the first in a series of new records set this year as increasing emissions of [carbon dioxide] and greenhouse gases, coupled with a growing El Niño event, push temperatures to new highs."
More to come
'July 2023 may be the warmest month ever'
"Chances are that July will be the warmest ever, and with it the hottest month ever: 'ever' meaning since the Eemian which is some 120,000 years ago," said Karsten Haustein, from the University of Leipzig, reports BBC.
He added that Southern Hemisphere temperatures will drop but because of El Nino, July and August will see even warmer days ahead.