Data: NOAA CFS/CFSR via Climate Reanalyzer, University of Maine; Chart: Simran Parwani/Axios
Earth recorded its hottest day on record on Thursday, making it the fourth straight to set or tie the record for warmest day globally.
Why it matters: The daily records are a symptom of the heat that human emissions of greenhouse gases are adding to the climate, combined with an El Niño event in the tropical Pacific Ocean.