July is set to become Earth's warmest month on record, according to the EU climate monitor, as the planet experiences an extended period of exceptional warmth.
Notably, last month was the hottest June ever recorded, with July 6 being the hottest day. There is a growing likelihood that 2023 will surpass 2016 as the hottest year, continuing the trend of the past eight years being the warmest on record.
“The extreme weather which has affected many millions of people in July is unfortunately the harsh reality...” said Petteri Taalas, the secretary general of the World Meteorological Organization.
The world has entered a period of exceptional warmth, with the effects of human-induced greenhouse gas emissions compounded by the El Niño climate pattern, known for causing hotter conditions in various regions.
However, the unprecedented breaking of global temperature records by large margins raises questions about the potential influence of other factors, less well-understood than global warming and El Niño.
While El Niño may not have been a dominant factor in North America this summer, its presence could still influence weather patterns later in the year and into 2024, especially if the oceans remain warmer than average. Still, further investigation is required to understand the extent of the planet's abnormal heat this summer.
Scientists are also examining changes in jet streams, which influence weather systems around the world. The narrowing temperature differences between the Arctic and Equator due to global warming may be weakening the jet stream, leading to prolonged heat waves.