Warmest month on record

The average global surface air temperature across the month of July 2023 was 16.95°C (62.51°F), which is 0.72°C (1.296°F) above the 1991–2020 average for July. It is estimated to be 1.5°C (2.7°F) warmer than the average monthly temperature between 1850 and 1900. These figures were confirmed by a bulletin published by the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), the European Union's climate monitoring organization, on 8 August 2023.

Indications that July 2023 would be a record-breaking month came early on, when the record for daily global temperature was broken four times on 3–6 July; this peaked on 6 July with a global average surface air temperature of 17.08°C (62.74°F).

The previous warmest month on record was July 2019, which had a global average temperature of 16.63°C (61.93°F).

The US-based National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration concurred with the finding, indicating that July 2023 was likely the warmest month since 1850 when their records began, at 2.02°F (1.12°C) above average; it was the first time an average July temperature surpassed the long-term average by more than 1.8°F (1°C).

The month saw extended heatwaves across the Northern Hemisphere, from southern USA to China, northern Africa and southern Europe, contributing to both widespread wildfires and intense rainfall resulting in flash flooding. Global ocean temperature also soared, perhaps in part due to cyclical El Niño conditions where water in the eastern Pacific naturally heats up every few years, though many climate scientists believe we are yet to see the full impact of this latest El Niño, in which case 2024 may see yet higher temperatures, both in the ocean and on land.