August was the joint-hottest month ever recorded globally, tying July 2023, according to data released by the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service. Explore the data here.
Combined global air and sea surface temperatures averaged 62.53 degrees Fahrenheit (16.96 degrees Celsius), nearly 3 degrees (1.65 C) above preindustrial levels. That exceeds the 1.5 C warming threshold set by the 2015 Paris climate agreement, though the target refers to long-term averages rather than a single month. Copernicus attributed the heat primarily to greenhouse gas emissions, compounded by a supersized El Niño warming the Pacific. Western Europe and the contiguous US both recorded their hottest summers, and the eight hottest months on record have all occurred since July 2023. Watch how El Niño shapes global climate.
August is typically cooler globally than July—a reversal that has occurred only four other times since 1940. See how much climate change influences daily temperatures in your city.
