The year 2023 is expected to go down in history as the hottest year in the past 125,000 years, according to European Union scientists. To top it off, October 2023 is now officially the hottest October ever recorded.
Breaking Records in October
This October, the temperatures surpassed the previous record set in October 2019 by a substantial 0.4 degrees Celsius. Samantha Burgess from C3S described this spike in October temperatures as “extremely unusual.”
What’s Causing the Rising Heat
The main reason behind this scorching heat is the continuous release of greenhouse gases from human activities. But, there’s another contributing factor called El Niño, a weather phenomenon that warms the surface of the Pacific Ocean.
Comparing to the Past
Comparing this October to the years between 1850-1900 (the pre-industrial era), the global surface air temperature has risen by a significant 1.7 degrees Celsius. Data from Copernicus, dating back to 1940, combined with long-term records from the IPCC, confirm that this year’s heat is indeed exceptional.
Startling Trends in Climate Records
What’s even more surprising is that September 2023 also saw unusually high temperatures, sparking discussions about a new climate pattern. It’s not just an isolated incident; it appears to be part of a worrying trend as we break records more frequently.
