World records second hottest July on record

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) reported that July was the second hottest July on record globally. According to data from the Copernicus Climate Change Service, the average surface air temperature was 1.47 degrees Celsius above the estimated pre-industrial average of 1850-1900.

Western Europe experienced its hottest June-July period ever recorded. The extreme heat, accompanied by persistent droughts and wildfires, has heavily impacted the Northern Hemisphere. In several European countries, including France, Spain, Germany, and the United Kingdom, extremely low precipitation and soil moisture levels have been reported.

John Kennedy, the WMO's chief climate information officer, attributed these conditions to the combined effect of long-term warming and persistent patterns of alternating high and low-pressure systems. High-pressure systems, which are linked to heat and drought, have remained stationary for extended periods this year.