«August 2023, the hottest ever»:the (negative) record that scares the experts

The monthly report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration marks the highest temperatures on the planet since records began

After June And July, August 2023 also recorded the highest temperatures ever on the planet.Those detected by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa) in monthly report mark a record in the last 174 years of history regarding the eighth month of the year.A heat wave that has made this year the hottest summer in the Northern Hemisphere and the warmest winter in the Southern Hemisphere.But it didn't end here.Because if 2023 will be the warmest year ever – or the second, just behind 2016 – the influence of the El Niño Southern Oscillation will continue to warm the Earth, and its effects will be felt throughout next winter.“Depending on how long El Niño persists, in addition to ongoing global warming due to climate change, it is possible that 2024 will be even warmer than 2023,” the NOAA climatologist said at the New York Times.

Storms and costs

In its analysis, the US agency takes stock of the summer, including storms and cyclones that caused disasters throughout the country.Sea surface temperatures reached a record high for the fifth consecutive month, and in August the global surface temperature was 1.25 degrees Celsius, above the 20th century average.August was the ninth warmest month on record in the United States, but some states had peaks even higher than their averages, such as Louisiana, Florida and Mississippi.For them, 2023 was the hottest August ever.«In August, 19 storms formed worldwide, eight of which reached tropical cyclone strength.Six of these storms, including two hurricanes, occurred in the Atlantic Ocean, more than usual for the region,” reads the report, “in 2023, the United States recorded 23 climate and weather disasters that caused more than 1 million in damage billion dollars each, the highest number ever recorded in a year", even if the costs - explains the dossier - have risen due to inflation.