The Earth just saw its hottest day on record

What happened

Sunday, July 21, was the hottest day in recorded global history, according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service (CCCS), Europe's top climate-monitoring organization, which announced the preliminary findings on Tuesday. 

Who said what

Earth's average temperature on July 21 was 62.76 degrees Fahrenheit, "breaking a record set only last year," The Washington Post said. "We are in truly uncharted territory," CCCS head Carlo Buontempo said. "We are bound to see records being broken in future months and years." 

Extreme heat is "nothing new," USA Today said. Our planet has seen "over 550 consecutive months with temperatures above the 20th-century average."

What next?

Many scientists are bracing for this year to "outrank 2023 as the hottest year since records began" due to "climate change and the El Niño natural weather phenomenon," Reuters said. 

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Sign up