Since satellite-based measurements began in the late 1970s, Arctic sea ice extent has decreased in all months and virtually all regions. The 2021 summer minimum was the 12th-lowest on record, but the highest since 2014.
Large parts of the country show no tip in the odds toward either a cold or warm September temperature outcome. The rainfall associated with Hurricane Ida's remnants is likely to be enough on its own to lead to a wetter-than-average September for areas in its path.
The Sun's average brightness varies over time, and the changes can affect global surface temperature. But long-term changes over the period of human-caused global warming are minimal.
Global average surface temperature in July—the hottest month of the year on average—set a new record in 2021. It's virtually certain that the year will go on to become one of the ten warmest years in the historical record.
Stories of drought, extreme heat, and fires dominated the weather headlines for the West in July. The central and eastern U.S. were wet and relatively cool.
The findings of their review of more than 14,000 studies are clear: climate change is affecting nearly every part of the planet, and there is no doubt that human activities are the cause.
The August 2021 Climate outlook favors a wetter-than-average month across the Southwest and Southeast and above-average temperatures across much of the contiguous U.S..
