NASA scientist: likely to be hottest July ever

Prominent climate scientists at NASA indicated on Thursday that the month of July 2023 is likely to be the hottest in the world in "hundreds, if not thousands, of years."

Earlier in the month, this period witnessed the breaking of daily temperature records, as reported by observatories managed by the European Union and the University of Maine. These observations rely on preliminary estimates based on models that combine ground-based and satellite data.

During a press conference organized by NASA, scientist Gavin Schmidt noted that while the results from various observatories may differ slightly, the significant rise in temperatures is evident and is likely to be reflected in the more accurate monthly reports that will be issued by American agencies later.

"We are witnessing unprecedented changes all around the world... Heatwaves in the United States, Europe, and China are breaking record highs, left, right, and center," Schmidt remarked.

He pointed out that these effects cannot be solely attributed to the El Niño phenomenon. Despite its limited role, Schmidt stated, "What we are seeing is comprehensive warming, almost everywhere, especially in the oceans. For several months, sea surface temperatures have broken record highs, even outside tropical regions."

Schmidt added, "We expect this to continue because we continue to pump greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere."

According to Schmidt's calculations, there is a 50-50 chance that 2023 will be the hottest year ever recorded. However, he mentioned that other scientists estimate an 80 percent chance of that being the case.

"But we expect 2024 to be even hotter because we are entering the El Niño phenomenon, which is now growing, and it will peak at the end of this year," he added.

These warnings from Schmidt come as severe heat continues to dominate large parts of Europe, Asia, and North America. The extreme temperatures have recently led to intense forest fires in various regions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AFP