July 2019 was the warmest month in recorded history
NOAA -- July 2019 was the warmest month for global temperatures since records have been kept over the past 140 years, the modern industrial age. The report released Thursday is another significant data point showing that the climate continues to warm at a rapid rate. The previous record was set just three years ago in July of 2016.
Much of the globe saw much above, if not record warm temperatures in the month of July, highlighted by a heat wave in Europe and record heat in Alaska. The continental United States as a whole was one of the few places that did not see prolonged extreme heat.
The last 5 years have been the hottest on record and 2019 is continuing that trend. It is highly likely that if nothing changes this trend will continue year-after-year.
Locally, 2019 is highly unlikely to set records for heat in South Bend but the data shows a continued warming trend. Looking at the 125 year daily climate record, there was an even distribution of record hot and cold events through mid-century. Since 1970 the number a records for heat are significantly outpacing our records for cold. This includes 2019 which has more cold (7) records than warm (1) to date, thanks in part to the most recent ‘polar vortex’.
Once again if nothing changes, record heat will continue to outpace record cold events. This fact has been cited in countless studies including a statewide study done by Purdue.
The July rankings by NOAA are affirmed by recent reports from the World Meteorological Organization and Copernicus Climate Change Service.