Tracking Heat Across the World
Intense heat has stifled the globe this year, contributing to a record-breaking hot summer in the Northern Hemisphere and an unusually warm winter in the Southern Hemisphere.
Where Thursday’s maximum temperature forecasts were extremely high
Source: Climate Reanalyzer, Climate Change Institute, University of Maine, using data from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction Global Forecast System
The planet experienced its hottest ever three-month period in June, July and August earlier this year, by a large margin. Scientists say it is more likely than not that 2023 will become the hottest year on record.
Where Thursday’s forecast temperatures were warmer than normal
Degrees warmer or cooler than the 1979-2000 average for May 2
Source: Climate Reanalyzer, Climate Change Institute, University of Maine, using data from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction Global Forecast System
The bouts of exceptional warmth are driven in large part by the continued emissions of heat-trapping gases, mainly from the burning of fossil fuels, and in part by the return of El Niño, a cyclical weather pattern that tends to be associated with warmer years globally.
Note: Maps on this page show temperature forecasts for the period between 8 p.m. on May 1 through 8 p.m. on May 2. All times Eastern.