The European climate service Copernicus says Earth sizzled to the hottest day ever measured last Sunday. It's yet another heat record that's been shattered in the past couple of years. Copernicus’ preliminary data shows the global average temperature Sunday was 17.09 degrees Celsius, or 62.76 degrees Fahrenheit, which beats the previous record set just a year ago. Both Sunday’s mark and last year’s record obliterated the previous record of 16.8 degrees Celsius, or 62.24 degrees Fahrenheit, set in 2016. While 2024 has been record and near-record warm, Copernicus scientists say what kicked Sunday into new territory was a way toastier than usual Antarctic summer.
