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August was a global record breaker: Hottest month ever
This year is so far the second-hottest on record, only marginally behind 2016.
Last month was the hottest August on record globally becoming the third straight month in a row to set such a record following the hottest ever June and July, European Union's Copernicus climate change panel said. August is estimated to have been around 1.5 degrees Celsius hotter than the pre-industrial average for the 1850-1900 period. July 2023 remains the hottest month ever recorded, while August's record makes the northern hemisphere's summer the hottest since records began in 1940, data showed.
"Global temperature records continue to tumble in 2023," Copernicus deputy head Samantha Burgess said, adding, “The scientific evidence is overwhelming, we will continue to see more climate records and more intense and frequent extreme weather events impacting society and ecosystems, until we stop emitting greenhouse gases.”
Read more: Any military cooperation with North Korea must stop: South Korea's president
Which places experience most heat during August?
In Europe, August was wetter than normal last month as large parts of central Europe and Scandinavia witnessed flooding. France, Greece, Italy and Portugal saw droughts that led to wildfires. Well-above average temperatures also occurred over Australia, several South American countries and around much of Antarctica in August, the institute noted. The global ocean saw the warmest daily surface temperature on record and had its warmest month overall.
Is 2023 the hottest year on record?
This year is so far the second-hottest on record, only marginally behind 2016. Limiting the global temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius is a central pledge of the Paris international climate change agreement adopted by 196 countries in 2015.
