The global average surface air temperature reached 17.09 degrees Celsius on Sunday, slightly surpassing the previous record of 17.08 degrees Celsius set last July.

Heatwaves struck large parts of the US, Europe, and Russia over the past week.

Copernicus confirmed to Reuters that the daily average temperature, which set a record last year, was exceeded on Sunday based on scientific records dating back to 1940.

Last year, four consecutive days from July 3 to July 6 set new records as climate change, driven by the burning of fossil fuels, caused extreme heat in the Northern Hemisphere.

Each month since June 2023—13 consecutive months—has been the hottest on record globally for its respective month, according to Copernicus.

Some scientists have predicted that 2024 might surpass 2023 as the hottest year on record due to climate change and the El Niño phenomenon, which concluded in April, pushing temperatures even higher this year.

El Niño is an oceanic phenomenon where the central and eastern waters of the Pacific Ocean near the equator (coasts of Peru) are warmer compared to other areas, with water temperatures being about 3°C higher.