The Streak Stretches as July Marks the 14th Consecutive Month of Record-High Temperatures for Earth

The streak began in June 2023 and has continued through this July. Earth has experienced 14 consecutive warmest months on record, which is a record in itself. July was the 545th consecutive month to record temperatures at least nominally above the 20th-century average, a streak that started more than 45 years ago.

According to the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) report, July’s global surface temperature was 2.18 degrees above the 20th-century average of 60.4 degrees. The vast majority of the planet’s surface was above average with the exception of Alaska, southern South America, eastern Russia, Australia, and western Antarctica.

It is likely that 2024 will be either the warmest or second warmest year on record

Sea surface temperatures were the second-warmest on record. More than 11% of Earth’s ocean surface had record-high temperatures in July, while only .05% of the global ocean reported record cold. Global sea ice extent was the second smallest since records began 46 years ago.

There is now a more than 77% chance this year will be the warmest on record. There is a 95% chance it will be the first or second warmest year on record. It is a lock to be a top-five warmest year on record already.

A typhoon and tropical storm make the list of significant climate anomalies

The NCEI report noted several significant climate anomalies and events during July including the following:

• Typhoon Gaemi, a Category 4 equivalent typhoon, killed at least 34 people in the Philippines alone and caused significant damage from flooding and strong winds in Taiwan and China.
• The Main Development Region for Atlantic Hurricanes and the Caribbean had their warmest January-July period on record.
• Tropical storm Prapiroon hit southern China and northern Vietnam, causing extensive damage from flooding and landslides.
• Temperatures in the Persian Gulf exceeded 105 degrees with heat indices, or feels-like temperatures, climbing to 140 degrees or higher.
• North America experienced its second-warmest July and January-July period on record.

There was some good news. Tropical cyclone activity was below average in July. Seven named storms formed across the Earth during the month, which is below the 1991-2020 average. Two storms were in the Atlantic basin: Beryl, the earliest Category 5 hurricane on record, which formed on July 2, and Tropical Storm Chris, which made landfall in Mexico early in the month.