June 2023 declared hottest month ever, North Atlantic heat surges

The latest report by the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) highlights trends in global sea surface temperatures, surface air temperatures, hydrological variables, and sea ice cover. This analysis, utilizing a substantial volume of computer-generated data from diverse sources, emphasizes the crucial importance of implementing robust monitoring systems and timely adaptation policies to effectively tackle climate change.

The C3S report emphasizes that in June 2023, the sea surface temperatures reached unprecedented levels globally, surpassing all previous records for the month of June. Moreover, this warming trend was observed throughout the world’s oceans, with notably high sea surface temperature anomalies found in the North Atlantic region. The elevated temperatures in the North Atlantic can be attributed to a combination of abnormal atmospheric circulation patterns in the short-term and ongoing long-term oceanic changes.

The report further emphasizes the occurrence of extreme marine heatwaves in various regions, including Ireland, the UK and the Baltic Sea. These heat waves pose significant risks to marine ecosystems and underscore the urgent need for effective climate action.

The development of El Niño in the eastern tropical Pacific was closely monitored by C3S, which revealed a continuous strengthening of the El Niño event throughout the month of June. As a result, they found that this amplification influenced global temperature patterns. Furthermore, the report emphasizes the remarkably high temperatures observed in the North Atlantic, highlighting their potential impact on both local and global climate variability.

In June 2023, global surface air temperatures soared to new heights, surpassing the previous record established in June 2019. Remarkably, the average temperature exceeded the 1991-2020 baseline by an impressive margin of over 0.5°C. Northwestern Europe, in particular, witnessed unprecedented temperatures during this month, setting new records.

Similarly, substantial warming affected parts of Canada, the United States, Mexico, Asia, and eastern Australia. On the contrary, cooler-than-normal temperatures were witnessed in certain regions like Western Australia, the western United States, and western Russia.

In June 2023, an analysis revealed both wetter and drier conditions in different regions. Both Southern Europe, western Iceland, and northwestern Russia experienced above-average rainfall, which triggered flooding in Turkey, Kosovo, and Romania. On the other hand, central and eastern Europe, Scandinavia, and the western Black Sea coast faced drier-than-average conditions.

“Drier conditions were predominant across North America, which contributed to the occurrence of severe wildfires. Conversely, various regions such as western North America, southwest Asia, Japan, South Africa, Brazil, Chile, New Zealand, and a significant portion of Australia experienced above-average levels of precipitation. Notably, Japan and Pakistan were particularly affected by Typhoon Mawar and Cyclone Biparjoy, respectively.”

The report also highlighted significant changes in sea ice. Antarctic sea ice reached its lowest level in June since satellite observations began, registering a substantial 17% below average. The daily extent of Antarctic sea ice remained consistently low throughout the month. In the Arctic, sea ice extent was slightly below average but considerably higher compared to the past eight years.

Carlo Buontempo, Director of the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), highlighted the intricate nature of the Earth system and stressed the indispensability of real-time global climate monitoring. The findings underscore the interplay between local and global climate variations, underscoring the urgency for risk management and the formulation of effective adaptation policies.

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