World marks second warmest July on record

This article is published in association with United Nations.

As multiple regions contend with unbearable heat, drought, wildfires and other extreme weather, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) on Tuesday underlined the crucial need for stronger forecasts and early warning systems to protect lives and livelihoods. 

The UN agency said the past month was the second warmest July on record worldwide, according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), a European Union initiative.  

Average surface air temperatures were 1.47°C above the estimated pre-industrial baseline, and sea-surface temperatures were the highest ever recorded for the month of July. 

No ‘holiday mode’ 

The heat is still on in August. Although this month marks the height of the vacation season across Europe and other parts of the northern hemisphere, some workers are not getting a break, according to WMO Spokesperson Clare Nullis. 

Many national meteorological and hydrological services, emergency management and response teams as well as health professionals “are really working tirelessly because of all the extreme weather that we are seeing,” she told journalists in Geneva. 

“And it’s not just extreme heat,” she said.  “We’re also seeing extreme rainfall, tropical cyclones.  So, we’re not in holiday mode at all.” 

Heat, drought and fire risk 

Western Europe experienced its hottest June–July period on record and some countries, including Switzerland and France, are now facing their fourth heatwave of the summer. 

 “Intense drought is really biting,” said Ms. Nullis, with devastating impacts on agriculture, harvests, transport, energy and river levels.  Moreover, it is combining with high temperatures to increase risk of wildfires.  

The heat is not confined to Europe as Japan and the Republic of Korea recorded exceptional and record-breaking temperatures last week, as did other parts of Asia, the Middle East and Latin America.  

John Kennedy, WMO’s head of climate information, said low rainfall and heat had contributed to “drought, low river levels, and increased risk of wildfires”, including low flows in major European rivers such as the Seine, Rhine and Danube. 

‘Exceptional wildfire activity’ 

Wildfire activity has also intensified. Ms. Nullis said that “last month saw exceptional wildfire activity across western Europe” both in terms of the area burned and emissions.  

She said fire emissions data from the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service show that year-to-date emissions in France are comparable to, or higher than, levels seen during the extreme fire years of 2022 and 2023.  

The country is on course to have one of its most extreme fire years of the past 24 years, while fire emissions in neighbouring Spain are also well above average for this time of year.  

Meanwhile in North America, fires are raging in parts of the western United States, while Canada had 591 active fires as of Monday, including 43 classified as out of control. 

A wider pattern of extremes 

But as Ms. Nullis stated, “it’s not all about heat” as heavy monsoon rainfall and flooding are affecting parts of West Africa. 

WMO produces a weekly Global Hydromet Scan that is provided to humanitarian agencies. The latest issue warned of heavy rainfall, risk of flash floods and landslides this week in northeast and western India, eastern Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar and some parts of Southeast Asia.  

China also carried out mass evacuations ahead of the landfall of Typhoon Dolphin this past weekend – the 13th of the season – amid many recent warnings of dangerous flooding. 

Under pressure 

Mr. Kennedy said that recent extremes reflect “the combined effect of long-term warming with a persistent pattern of alternating high and low-pressure systems stretching across the northern hemisphere.”  

He explained that high-pressure systems are typically associated with hotter, drier conditions because descending air warms and reduces cloud formation, thus allowing in more sunlight. These systems can also block cooler air from moving in and can last for days or even weeks. 

With El Niño now established in the Pacific, WMO expects a further rise in global temperature, with the global peak typically following the El Niño peak which usually occurs between November and January.  

Given these developments, WMO and its member countries are working to improve forecasts and early warnings.  Ms. Nullis stressed that the Early Warnings for All initiative “remains the overriding priority.”