Climate change made July hotter for almost every human on Earth

The impact of human-caused global warming has resulted in hotter temperatures during July for approximately 81% of the world’s population, affecting four out of every five individuals. A recent flash study conducted by Climate Central, a respected science nonprofit, revealed that over 2 billion people experience the influence of climate change on a daily basis, leading to increased warmth in their regions.

The study analyzed data from 4,711 cities, identifying climate change fingerprints in 4,019 of them for the month of July, which scientists consider to be the hottest month on record. The burning of coal, oil, and natural gas was found to have made it three times more likely for these cities to experience hotter days. Notably, the impact of climate change was most significant in Florida, where over 244 million people felt a heightened heat effect during July.

For approximately 2 billion people living in tropical areas worldwide, climate change tripled the likelihood of experiencing hotter temperatures every single day of July. Among these regions were major cities like Mecca, Saudi Arabia, and San Pedro Sula, Honduras.

The study highlighted July 10 as the day when climate change had the most widespread effect, impacting around 3.5 billion people with extreme heat attributed to global warming. However, this differs from the hottest day globally, which was July 7.

The Climate Shift Index, a tool developed by Climate Central, was used to calculate the impact of climate change on temperatures across the globe in real-time. The study’s findings are considered technically valid by the National Academy of Sciences, though it has not yet undergone peer review.

According to climate scientists, the study demonstrates that the majority of people worldwide have experienced the effects of global warming on extreme heat. In the United States, 22 cities, including Miami, Houston, Phoenix, and others, had at least 20 days with a significantly increased likelihood of extra heat due to climate change. Cape Coral, Florida, was the most affected city in the U.S., experiencing a 4.6 times higher likelihood of hotter temperatures for the month.

Regions farther north in the United States, such as North and South Dakota, Wyoming, and parts of Ohio, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, showed less significant climate effects during July. However, areas like the Caribbean and Middle East experienced substantial climate change signals that are often overlooked.

This study provides valuable insight into the far-reaching impacts of climate change, emphasizing the urgent need for global action to address and mitigate its effects on extreme temperatures and weather patterns.

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More about ClimateChangeStudy

• Climate Central: Read the full report here
• World Weather Attribution: Climate change analysis for specific regions
• National Academy of Sciences: Climate fingerprinting methods
• University of Maine’s Climate Reanalyzer: Global temperature records