warmest

This past summer was marked by some devastating heat waves in Europe. Through November, the UK, Germany, and France have experienced their hottest year on record.

The UK has experienced its warmest year since 1884 and, in fact, all the top ten warmest years on record have occurred since 2002.

In France, the average temperature for the year is a few tenths of a degree higher than the previous record, which was set in 2020.

In Germany, the first 11 months of the year saw a record for average temperature. Its previous record was also set in 2020.

All three countries saw a spike in heat-related mortality as result of the summer heatwaves. England and Wales reported 3,271 excess deaths during the summer. France reported 2,816 excess deaths during its three heat waves. In Germany, an estimated 4,500 people died as a result of extreme heat.

There are multiple effects of climate change which include more frequent heat waves in Europe. A recent study showed that European summers are warming twice as fast as the global average. In fact, summer temperatures across much of the European continent have already risen by 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit or 2 degrees Celsius, which is the feared level of global climate increase that nations around the world are trying to stave off.

Worldwide, 2022 will rank among the top ten warmest years on record but will most likely not be the warmest. That being said, the past eight years are on track to be the eight warmest years on record. The US will also see one of its ten warmest years, although not the warmest.

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UK, Germany, France on Pace for Their Hottest Year on Record

Photo, posted April 23, 2022, courtesy of Jose A. via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio

July 2021 has the unfortunate distinction as being the world’s hottest month ever recorded according to global data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. July is typically the warmest month of the year, but this July was the warmest month of any year on record.

The combined global land and ocean surface temperature was 62.07 degrees Fahrenheit, which is 1.67 degrees above the 20th century average. This was the highest monthly average since records began 142 years ago. It broke the previous record set in July 2016 and tied in 2019 and 2020.

The Northern Hemisphere was 2.77 degrees above average. Asia had its hottest July on record. Europe had its second hottest July on record. Places like Africa, Australia, and New Zealand all had top-ten warmest Julys.

Other aspects of the changing climate included the observation that Arctic sea ice coverage for July was the fourth-smallest in the 43-year record. Interestingly, Antarctic sea ice extent was actually above average in July. Global tropic cyclone activity this year so far is above normal for the number of named storms. In the Atlantic basin, the formation of the storm Elsa on July 1 was the earliest date for a 5th named storm.

It remains very likely that 2021 will rank among the 10 hottest years on record. Extreme heat is a reflection on the long-term climate changes that were outlined recently in a major report released by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. These latest global observations add to the disturbing and disruptive path that the changing climate has set for the world.

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It’s official: July was Earth’s hottest month on record

Photo, posted July 15, 2021, courtesy of Lori Iverson/National Interagency Fire Center via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

A Hot Year In Europe | Earth Wise

This past summer was marked by some devastating heat waves in Europe. Through November, the UK, Germany, and France have experienced their hottest year on record.

Web Links

July Was A Scorcher | Earth Wise

July 2021 has the unfortunate distinction as being the world’s hottest month ever recorded according to global data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. July is typically the warmest month of the year, but this July was the warmest month of any year on record.

Web Links