Climate change continues to impact our world, despite numerous efforts made to tackle it. As you may have read on my blog at the beginning of 2024, 2023 was reported the hottest year experienced. Seeing this, I thought that we could progress as a world on a unified front. I thought wrong.
Sunday July 21st, 2024, is the hottest day on record that the planet has seen, clocking in at 62.76°F (17.09°C). Sunday’s milestone coincided with several countries enduring prolonged and severe heatwaves. Across the US, about a hundred cities are facing their hottest start to summer ever recorded, while southern Europe grapples with triple-digit temperatures. Abnormal heat in significant areas of Antarctica has shown to be contributing to the sudden increase in global temperatures. The rapid warming of this expansive icy landmass is concerning scientists, particularly because of its potential to accelerate catastrophic sea level rise.
This record is especially concerning as El Niño is approaching its cool season. El Niño can influence global temperatures by redistributing heat across the Pacific Ocean. During El Niño, warm surface waters spread eastward across the central and eastern Pacific, altering atmospheric circulation patterns. This can lead to increased global temperatures due to changes in cloud cover, precipitation patterns, and atmospheric circulation, affecting weather systems worldwide. However, we are in the opposite right now. Cold El Niño emphasizes the significance of this hottest day.
Overall, this hottest day needs to be recognized and realized of the true meaning. If leading countries come on a united front to tackle this issue, we can make progress. With plans like the EU’s plans and upcoming meetings like COP-26, we may be able to see some new progressive trends.
Ayan Kumar's Blog 