July also saw its second-highest air temperatures on record this yearWorld ocean temperatures hit a record high for July this year, according to a new report from the European Union’s Copernicus climate monitoring service. The record was fueled by El Niño conditions in the tropical Pacific Ocean—this climate event is typically marked by warmer ocean temperatures. Global average air temperatures last month were 16.9 degrees C (62.42 degrees F), just shy of July 2023’s record of 16.95 degrees C (62.51 degrees F). Europe has seen three consecutive months of extreme heat. “Persistent high-pressure systems trapped heat over western Europe, the extreme temperatures also amplified widespread drought,” Burgess said.