A prominent NASA scientist, Gavin Schmidst, has issued a warning that this July might be the hottest month the world has experienced in centuries or even millennia. He emphasized that Earth is currently confronting unprecedented changes, with numerous countries enduring scorching temperatures that break records.
These concerns arise amid the ongoing Heatwave Charon, which is pushing thermometers above 40°C (104°F) in regions like Turkey, Greece, Italy, Cyprus, and Spain. The heat wave has prompted authorities in major cities to advise citizens to stay indoors, as firefighters battle massive wildfires in locations, such as Athens and California.
A woman cools off with cold bottles of water, distributed by the hellenic red cross organization near the entrance of the Acropolis archeological site in Athens on July 20, 2023, as the country is hit by a new major heatwave.
El Niño Making July Hotter Than Ever
Mr. Schmidst noted that the heat waves witnessed in the United States, Europe, and China are shattering records, indicating the magnitude of the current climate crisis, MailOnline reported.
He predicts that 2023 has a '50-50 chance' of becoming the hottest year on record, with other experts suggesting an 80% likelihood. He also anticipates that 2024 will be even warmer due to the upcoming El Niño event, peaking towards the year's end.
The forecasts are based on climate data from the European Union and the University of Maine, indicating record-breaking daily temperatures in July, along with an unmistakable surge in extreme heat.
Mr. Schmidt further emphasizes that the observed effect cannot solely be attributed to the newly emerged El Niño weather phenomenon, which involves the warming of the Pacific Ocean's surface water, influencing weather patterns globally. He believes that more comprehensive monthly reports from US agencies will soon corroborate these findings.
He further added that they have seen record-breaking sea surface temperatures for several months, even outside of tropical regions. We anticipate that this trend will continue since we continue to produce greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
Global Warming Reaching New Highs
Other experts have also raised their concerns as global warming is surging to new highs, Independent reported. Scientists emphasized that natural phenomena, like El Nino, exacerbate the heat alongside the existing impact of greenhouse gas emissions responsible for warming the planet.
Even the United Nations (UN) top scientific panel, Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC), confirms that the world has already experienced an average warming of 1.5°C to date.
Scientists have been urging for a reduction in planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions to prevent the Earth from exceeding warming of 1.5°C or a maximum of 2°C, a target agreed upon by 196 countries in the historic 2016 Paris Agreement. However, experts express concerns that achieving this target seems increasingly challenging as fossil fuel emissions persist, leading to ever more extreme temperatures.
Aljazeera also reported that in Europe, Greece has announced the closure of archaeological sites, including the Acropolis, during the hottest hours of the day due to the heatwave. Also, Spain's temperatures remain high overall, with many areas recording temperatures above 25°C (77°F) and forecasts of temperatures exceeding 35°C (95°F) in the southern half of the country.
While in Asia, China continues to face extreme temperatures of 35°C (95°F) and above, with some regions experiencing record highs. Northwestern Xinjiang saw a historic temperature of 52.2°C (125.9°F) on Sunday while neighboring Gansu province as well as Beijing are dealing with intense heat in certain areas and warnings of floods and landslides.
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