If you thought this summer was boiling your region from top to bottom, you were not alone. Do you remember reading about all the hazards of cutting trees, the consequences of producing air pollution, and the possible disappearance of the ozone layer in your primary school? Well, I'm afraid that these environmental threats have started playing their role.
Scientists at NASA's Goddard Institute of Space Studies (GISS) in New York have proclaimed the summer of 2023 the hottest since global temperature records began in 1880. This bleak revelation comes on the heels of catastrophic heatwaves that have scorched parts of the world.
During the months of June, July, and August, the collective temperatures soared to unprecedented levels, registering at 0.41 degrees Fahrenheit (0.23 degrees Celsius) higher than any other summer in NASA's extensive records. The month of August alone broke records, with temperatures 2.2 degrees Fahrenheit (1.2 degrees Celsius) higher than the historical average for the same month between 1951 and 1980. This hot season corresponds to the Northern Hemisphere's meteorological summer.
The scorching temperatures experienced worldwide contributed to catastrophic wildfires in Canada and Hawaii and relentless heatwaves in South America, Japan, Europe, and the United States. These heatwaves also likely triggered severe rainfall and flooding in Italy, Greece, and Central Europe.
"Summer 2023's record-breaking temperatures aren't just a set of numbers - they result in dire real-world consequences," NASA Administrator Bill Nelson stated. Devastating weather is threatening lives and livelihoods all around the planet, from blistering heat in Arizona and across the country to wildfires in Canada and devastating flooding in Europe and Asia."
NASA's temperature records, compiled as GISTEMP, rely on data from surface air temperature sources gathered from thousands of meteorological stations worldwide and sea surface temperature data acquired from ship- and buoy-based instruments. This extensive dataset is subjected to rigorous analysis that accounts for changes in temperature station dispersion and urban heating impacts that may bias the results.
Temperature anomalies are produced as a result of the analysis, which reflects how far the observed temperatures differ from the average between 1951 and 1980.
The main driver behind the sweltering summer of 2023 was exceptionally high sea surface temperatures, partially attributed to the return of the El Niño climate phenomenon. El Niño is characterized by above-average sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean.
According to Josh Willis, a climate scientist and oceanographer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, the recent El Nio event pushed global temperatures to unprecedented levels, breaking various records due to background warming and the gradual increase in marine heat waves over several decades. He went on to say that the current heatwaves have a longer length, higher temperatures, and are more severe than previous trends.
While El Niño events bring added warmth to the atmosphere and are often linked to the warmest years on record, they also have widespread effects. This includes cooler, wetter conditions in the U.S. Southwest and drought in countries like Indonesia and Australia.
Gavin Schmidt, the head of GISS and a climate scientist, emphasized the melancholy truth of climate change when he stated that it is occurring. He noted that the projected results are now becoming a reality, and he warned that the situation will worsen if carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases continue to be released into the sky.
As the world grapples with the consequences of record-breaking heat, the urgency of addressing climate change is more apparent than ever. NASA's data serves as a stark reminder of the need for global action to mitigate the impacts of rising temperatures and greenhouse gas emissions.
Read next: The Growing Adoption Of AI Will Have Drastic Effects On Climate Change, Environmentalists Warn
Scientists at NASA's Goddard Institute of Space Studies (GISS) in New York have proclaimed the summer of 2023 the hottest since global temperature records began in 1880. This bleak revelation comes on the heels of catastrophic heatwaves that have scorched parts of the world.
During the months of June, July, and August, the collective temperatures soared to unprecedented levels, registering at 0.41 degrees Fahrenheit (0.23 degrees Celsius) higher than any other summer in NASA's extensive records. The month of August alone broke records, with temperatures 2.2 degrees Fahrenheit (1.2 degrees Celsius) higher than the historical average for the same month between 1951 and 1980. This hot season corresponds to the Northern Hemisphere's meteorological summer.
The scorching temperatures experienced worldwide contributed to catastrophic wildfires in Canada and Hawaii and relentless heatwaves in South America, Japan, Europe, and the United States. These heatwaves also likely triggered severe rainfall and flooding in Italy, Greece, and Central Europe.
Summer 2023 was the hottest summer in NASA’s record, continuing a trend of long-term warming caused by human activity.
— NASA (@NASA) September 14, 2023
All three summer months broke heat records: https://t.co/fAbXthgoP4 pic.twitter.com/AHewVuIMse
"Summer 2023's record-breaking temperatures aren't just a set of numbers - they result in dire real-world consequences," NASA Administrator Bill Nelson stated. Devastating weather is threatening lives and livelihoods all around the planet, from blistering heat in Arizona and across the country to wildfires in Canada and devastating flooding in Europe and Asia."
NASA's temperature records, compiled as GISTEMP, rely on data from surface air temperature sources gathered from thousands of meteorological stations worldwide and sea surface temperature data acquired from ship- and buoy-based instruments. This extensive dataset is subjected to rigorous analysis that accounts for changes in temperature station dispersion and urban heating impacts that may bias the results.
Temperature anomalies are produced as a result of the analysis, which reflects how far the observed temperatures differ from the average between 1951 and 1980.
The main driver behind the sweltering summer of 2023 was exceptionally high sea surface temperatures, partially attributed to the return of the El Niño climate phenomenon. El Niño is characterized by above-average sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean.
According to Josh Willis, a climate scientist and oceanographer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, the recent El Nio event pushed global temperatures to unprecedented levels, breaking various records due to background warming and the gradual increase in marine heat waves over several decades. He went on to say that the current heatwaves have a longer length, higher temperatures, and are more severe than previous trends.
While El Niño events bring added warmth to the atmosphere and are often linked to the warmest years on record, they also have widespread effects. This includes cooler, wetter conditions in the U.S. Southwest and drought in countries like Indonesia and Australia.
Gavin Schmidt, the head of GISS and a climate scientist, emphasized the melancholy truth of climate change when he stated that it is occurring. He noted that the projected results are now becoming a reality, and he warned that the situation will worsen if carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases continue to be released into the sky.
As the world grapples with the consequences of record-breaking heat, the urgency of addressing climate change is more apparent than ever. NASA's data serves as a stark reminder of the need for global action to mitigate the impacts of rising temperatures and greenhouse gas emissions.
Read next: The Growing Adoption Of AI Will Have Drastic Effects On Climate Change, Environmentalists Warn
