Heat waves hit nearly every corner of the world in 2023, pushing temperatures into record territory.
According to preliminary climate data from NOAA and analysis from the University of Maine Climate Change Institute, the global temperature anomaly ended up above the 2016 record of 0.99 degrees Celsius (1.78 degrees Fahrenheit) above average. .
Global observations from December are still being analyzed, but annual temperature anomalies could end up well above 1 degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit) higher than average – the first time the annual average temperature has exceeded 1 degree Celsius.
The news should come as no surprise, as NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, the European Copernicus Climate Change Service and the World Meteorological Organization said it was a virtual guarantee that 2023 would end at record levels.
In fact, NOAA climatologists said in November that there was more than a 99% chance that the year would end up being the warmest on Earth, a percentage rarely used in the meteorological community because of the potential for error.
The agency reports that record-keeping began in 1880, and all years spanning the past decade represent the warmest period in history.
What caused the record heat? Some meteorologists point to the emergence of a strong El Niño weather pattern, the first in four years.
In 2023, the global temperature anomaly was higher than the 2016 record of 0.99 degrees Celsius (1.78 degrees Fahrenheit) above average. fake images
Every El Niño episode in modern history has produced the warmest period, only to be surpassed by the next El Niño episode.
The researchers estimated that the 2016 El Niño event was directly responsible for only about 0.12 degrees Celsius (0.22 degrees Fahrenheit) of the 0.99 degrees Celsius (1.78 degrees Fahrenheit) anomaly, meaning that other climatic characteristics and climate change could be playing a more prominent role. than is recognized.
The record heat contributed to the development of significant drought conditions in Australia, South America and Canada.
America’s northern neighbors experienced the worst wildfire season in history, with nearly 46 million acres destroyed by flames, nearly three times the previous record.
The United States even saw the impacts of the wildfires, with days of poor air quality and smoky skies.
The record heat contributed to the development of significant drought conditions in Australia, South America and Canada. POT
The exact toll the heat took on economies and lives are figures that may not be known for years, as researchers’ best estimates come from studies versus unreliable data from countries around the world.
A recent study published in The Lancet Planet Health estimated that around 500,000 deaths a year could be linked to extreme heat worldwide, while the causality figure during extreme cold was closer to 4.5 million.
US Monthly Temperatures
Unlike the world record, the contiguous United States did not have its warmest year. Through the first 11 months of the year, the country hovered an anomaly 1.1 degrees Celsius (nearly 2 degrees Fahrenheit) above average, warm enough to finish in the top 10.
A cold end to winter and early spring in 2023 kept the year from breaking 2012’s record of 1.81 degrees Celsius (3.26 degrees Fahrenheit) above average.
Heat waves have become more common in summer and fall. NOAA
Despite the cold start to the year, heat waves were numerous throughout the country during the summer and fall.
In June, Puerto Rico was one of the first territories to experience life-threatening heat.
A ridge of high pressure caused several days to reach 90 degrees with a heat index outside San Juan of 125 degrees Fahrenheit.
The heat spread west to the southern United States in July, with Death Valley, California, approaching its all-time world record of 134 degrees Fahrenheit and Phoenix reporting 31 consecutive days reaching at least 110 degrees Fahrenheit.
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In late summer, heat waves engulfed the Midwest and Northeast.
Chicago recorded its highest heat index ever recorded at 120 degrees Fahrenheit, and New York City experienced a streak of 90-degree readings in September.
Not only were the usual warm months hot, but the above-average temperatures continued well into the winter season.
According to initial weather observations, December was on track to end with temperatures at least 5 degrees Fahrenheit above average for the contiguous United States as a whole.
Record low sea ice
The combined extent of Arctic and Antarctic sea ice remained at record lows for most of the year.
According to NOAA’s National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC), the amount of sea ice around Antarctica, during its usual maximum extent, reached a record low in September. Satellite data estimated the extent to be 6.55 million square miles, about the size of Mexico and the United States combined.
“This is an unprecedented sea ice cover in Antarctica,” said NSIDC sea ice scientist Walt Meier. “Sea ice growth appears low across almost the entire continent compared to any particular region.”
Texas had the warmest temperature in the US in 2023. Iowa Environmental Mesonet / FOX Weather
Analysis estimated that Arctic sea ice reached a minimum extent of just 1.6 million square miles in September.
This was the sixth lowest low on record, dating back about 45 years.
“It’s more open there than before,” Meier added. “There also appears to be a lot more loose, lower-concentration ice, even towards the North Pole, and areas that used to be fairly compact and solid ice sheets during the summer. “That has been happening more frequently in recent years.”
Larger areas of exposed ocean help absorb more energy from the Sun, causing further warming of the planet and decreased ice growth.
It is important to note that agencies have different methodologies for determining global temperatures and sea ice extent, so records may vary. The data does not minimize the year’s continued march toward records never experienced during human times.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn