GoKawiilTechnically, August tied with July 2026 since it measured one-hundredth of a degree Celsius more, which is the uncertainty level. Earth cooked to its hottest month on record in August, blowing far past a key climate threshold, due to the dangerous double whammy of human-caused climate change and a supersized El Nino, according to the European climate service Copernicus.August’s sizzle also helped push the globe and the United States to swelter through the hottest Northern Hemisphere summer scientists have measured.Last month the world averaged 62.53 degrees Fahrenheit (16.96 degrees Celsius), which technically was one-hundredth of a degree Celsius more than the all-time global mark set in July 2023, but because that’s also the uncertainty level, it’s considered a tie, said Samantha Burgess, strategic climate lead for Copernicus.“It is now time to stop acting surprised that our warming planet keeps getting warmer. This is occurring exactly as forecast by scientists literally decades ago,” Texas A&M University climate scientist Andrew Dessler said in an email. “The interesting question is not whether we will keep breaking heat records (we will), but whether we’re going to do anything about it or just stand there while the climate train runs us over.”Globally, August was 1.65 degrees Celsius (nearly 3 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels, far exceeding the longer term 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) threshold set by the 2015 Paris climate agreement. The eight hottest months on record have all been from July 2023 on, according to Copernicus data.“Our climate system is really operating well outside the range we would have expected just a decade ago,” Burgess said Wednesday from a United Kingdom that has been beset with heat waves. “We’ve transitioned from climate being very abstract and perhaps impacting the global South or far away places to climate impacting and disrupting our daily lives with schools closing, hospitals being overwhelmed, roads melting, train lines buckling. And the reality is we will get more of these conditions that we’ve seen this summer.”Global monthly ocean temperatures in August tied a March 2024 all-time record for warmest month recorded, while Aug. 22 set a record for hottest day recorded in the world’s seas, according to Copernicus.
Earth’s hottest month ever recorded was this past August. These two factors are to blame
Copernicus data showing August tying or beating the all-time global heat record — and running 1.65C above pre-industrial levels — underscores that the Paris 1.5C guardrail is being routinely breached in individual months. For the tech industry, that raises the stakes on energy-hungry infrastructure like data centers, cooling demand and grid resilience, while consumers face heat disruptions to schools, hospitals and transport. Scientists quoted stress that these records are exactly what was predicted, shifting the story from surprise to response.
- August averaged 16.96C (62.53F) globally, effectively tied with the previous record within the margin of uncertainty.
- The month ran 1.65C above pre-industrial levels, exceeding the Paris agreement's 1.5C long-term threshold.
- Researchers attribute the heat to human-caused warming plus a strong El Nino, and say record-breaking is now expected, not surprising.
Govee WiFi Thermo-Hygrometer — With record-breaking heat months piling up, it's handy to track exactly what's happening at your own home. This connected thermo-hygrometer logs indoor and outdoor temperature and humidity to your phone, so you can see your personal heat data and know when to close the blinds or crank the AC.
See Govee WiFi Thermo-Hygrometer on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.