June Breaks Records As Hottest Month Ever, 2024 Might Become Hottest Year Surpassing 2023

Last month has been marked as the hottest June on record, as reported by the EU's climate change monitoring service on Monday (8 July).

This continues a streak of exceptional temperatures, suggesting that 2024 could become the hottest year ever recorded.

For 13 consecutive months since June 2023, each month has been the warmest on record compared to the same months in previous years, according to the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S).

The latest data indicates that 2024 might surpass 2023 as the hottest year ever recorded, with human-caused climate change and the El Nino weather phenomenon contributing to the record temperatures this year, some scientists suggest.

El Nino, which warms the surface waters in the eastern Pacific Ocean, generally raises global average temperatures. Although this effect has subsided recently, neutral conditions are currently present, with cooler La Nina conditions expected later this year.

The changing climate has already caused devastating consequences in 2024.

Over 1,000 people died from extreme heat during the haj pilgrimage last month. Heat-related deaths were also recorded in North India, which experienced an unusually prolonged heat wave.