Authorities reported Friday that temperature records are being broken across Asia, from India’s summer to Australia’s winter, providing more proof of the impact of climate change.
The record-breaking heat and fatal wildfires are affecting nations from Greece to Canada, and the searing temperatures are in line with long-standing climate scientist warnings.
The hottest and driest August on record in India, the nation with the largest population in the world, according to officials.
The month is in the middle of India’s monsoon season, which often contributes up to 80% of the nation’s annual rainfall.
But despite heavy downpours that caused deadly floods in the country’s north earlier this month, overall rainfall has been far below average.
August saw an average of just 161.7 millimetres (6.4 inches), 30.1 mm lower than the previous August record in 2005, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
That has left the country baking in unrelenting heat.
“The large rainfall deficiency and weak monsoon condition is the main reason,” the IMD said.
The warmest summer in Japan since records began in 1898, according to officials there, was recorded on Friday.
According to the weather service, temperatures in the north, east, and west of the country were “considerably higher” than average from June to August.
According to the statement, “not only maximum temperatures, but also minimum temperatures” in numerous places set record highs.
With an average temperature of 16.75 degrees Celsius (62.15 degrees Fahrenheit) throughout the season spanning from June to August, this winter in Australia was the warmest on record.
The Bureau of Meteorology claimed that temperature is slightly higher than the previous record from 1996 and is the highest average winter temperature since data have been kept since 1910.