Record-Breaking Heatwave: Earth's Hottest Day Ever Recorded
Tuesday, July 4, 2022, was the hottest day on Earth since records began in 1979, with the global average temperature reaching 62.92 degrees Fahrenheit (17.18 degrees Celsius). Scientists believe it may have been the hottest day in around 125,000 years due to a combination of climate change, the return of the El Niño pattern, and the start of summer in the northern hemisphere. The United States, China, Antarctica, and North Africa experienced extreme heat, with 57 million people in the U.S. exposed to dangerous temperatures. Unless action is taken to combat carbon emissions, temperatures are expected to continue rising, leading to more frequent temperature records being broken.