Elim Garak
Veteran
Another month, another climate record: May 2024 was the twelfth straight month of record-warm temperatures for the planet, European scientists announced Wednesday.
That's the second-longest such streak on record, according to data from the Copernicus Climate Change Service.
“It is shocking but not surprising that we have reached this 12-month streak," said Carlo Buontempo, director of the Copernicus Climate Change Service, in a statement. "While this sequence of record-breaking months will eventually be interrupted, the overall signature of climate change remains and there is no sign in sight of a change in such a trend.”
The new milestone is even more worrisome than the one reached in January, which marked 2023 as the hottest year on record. That meant the calendar year was the hottest overall, with many – but not all – months setting records. Now every month for a year straight has been the hottest ever recorded.
Unfortunately, Earth being hot is nothing new: Our planet has seen over 550 consecutive months with temperatures above the 20th-century average. But this uninterrupted run of all-time temperature records starting in June 2023 is unusual, perplexing and worrying.
Source:
www.usatoday.com
That's the second-longest such streak on record, according to data from the Copernicus Climate Change Service.
“It is shocking but not surprising that we have reached this 12-month streak," said Carlo Buontempo, director of the Copernicus Climate Change Service, in a statement. "While this sequence of record-breaking months will eventually be interrupted, the overall signature of climate change remains and there is no sign in sight of a change in such a trend.”
The new milestone is even more worrisome than the one reached in January, which marked 2023 as the hottest year on record. That meant the calendar year was the hottest overall, with many – but not all – months setting records. Now every month for a year straight has been the hottest ever recorded.
Unfortunately, Earth being hot is nothing new: Our planet has seen over 550 consecutive months with temperatures above the 20th-century average. But this uninterrupted run of all-time temperature records starting in June 2023 is unusual, perplexing and worrying.
Source:
Earth marks 12 straight months of record heat, a bewildering climate change milestone
Experts agree human-caused climate change is primarily to blame. But there's a confusing array of other factors leading to a perfect storm of heat.
www.usatoday.com
