National meteorological and hydrological services have already reported a multitude of daily and station temperature records, with the possibility of countries breaking their national temperature records. These remarkable findings will be featured in the upcoming State of the Global Climate report published by the WMO.

As the recognized authority for verifying extreme weather records, the WMO diligently maintains an official Archive of Weather and Climate Extremes. This comprehensive repository encompasses global and hemispheric temperature records, rainfall measurements, aridity assessments, lightning occurrences, and data related to weather-related mortality.

Professor Randall Cerveny, the WMO Weather and Climate Extremes Rapporteur, stated: “If there are any new extreme temperature records during the ongoing heatwaves, we will issue a quick preliminary assessment and then start detailed evaluations as part of our painstaking verification process.”

He further added: “Climate change and temperature increase has spurred a surge in reports of record weather and climate extremes, especially for heat. We have to make sure that these records are verified for the sake of scientific understanding and accuracy.”

The highest temperature ever recorded, according to the Archive of Weather and Climate Extremes, stands at 56.7°C, observed in Furnace Creek, Death Valley, California, on July 10, 1913.

The WMO is presently engaged in verifying two temperature readings of 54.4°C (130°F) recorded in Death Valley, California, on August 16, 2020, and July 9, 2021. If confirmed, these readings would represent the highest temperature on Earth since 1931 and the third-hottest temperature ever recorded worldwide. The verification process includes dismantling and sending the temperature sensors to an independent testing calibration laboratory. The initial assessment indicates the legitimacy of the observations, highlighting the regular maintenance of the equipment at the Furnace Creek meteorological station by the National Weather Service in Las Vegas.

Regarding recent developments, the WMO has accepted a new temperature record for continental Europe, measuring 48.8°C (119.8°F) in Sicily on August 11, 2021. While a committee of experts has verified the accuracy of this temperature reading, the full report is yet to be published. As the ongoing heatwave intensifies, it is likely that this record may be broken in the coming days. The previous verified record for the highest maximum temperature in continental Europe was set at 48.0°C (118.4°F) in Athens on July 10, 1977.

In response to inquiries about the accuracy of old temperature records, Prof. Cerveny affirmed: “The WMO Archive for Weather & Climate Extremes is always willing to investigate any past extreme record when new credible evidence is presented. However, both the US National Extremes Committee and the WMO Archive of Weather and Climate Extremes accept the 1913 temperature observation.”

The WMO's diligent verification process ensures scientific rigor and accuracy, with findings from these investigations being published in peer-reviewed journals. As the world experiences unprecedented heatwaves, the WMO's efforts to verify temperature records play a crucial role in understanding and addressing the impacts of climate change. (ILKHA)