NASA climatologist Gavin Schmidt said on Thursday that July 2023 could possibly be the world’s warmest month in “hundreds, if not thousands, of years”.
Daily temperature records have already been broken this month, as indicated by instruments used by the European Union and the University of Maine. These tools combine ground and satellite data into models to generate preliminary estimates.
While data from these sources may vary slightly, the trend of extreme heat is unequivocal and likely to be confirmed in more comprehensive monthly reports to be released by subsequent US agencies, Schmidt noted during a NASA Briefing with reporters.
Daily temperature records have already been broken this month and extreme heat is being witnessed globally in the US, Europe and China. “We are seeing unprecedented changes around the world – with the US, Europe and China continuing to set new heat records,” he said.
Furthermore, this extraordinary event cannot be attributed solely to the El Niño weather pattern, which “has just unfolded.”
Although El Niño plays a minor role, “what we’re seeing is overall warming, which is happening almost everywhere, especially in the oceans. We’ve had record-breaking sea surface temperatures for the past several months, even outside the tropics.” looking at.” Therefore, the increase in temperature cannot be attributed solely to the El Niño weather pattern; greenhouse gas emissions Making significant contributions, reports AFP.
“And we expect this trend to continue as we continue to release green house gases in the environment.”
The current situation increases the likelihood of 2023 becoming the warmest year on record, which Schmidt currently rates as a “50-50 chance” based on his calculations, although some other scientists put the chances as high as 80 percent.
Read also: Heatwave 2023: WHO issues directive as Europe, America grapple with extreme temperatures
“But we expect 2024 to be an even warmer year because we are just beginning to build up to an El Niño event that is expected to peak later this year,” he added.
Schmidt’s cautionary comments come as the world grapples with fires, dire health warnings and broken temperature records in the past week.
(With inputs from AFP)
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Updated: July 21, 2023, 09:51 AM IST