This story was originally published last week by Grist, and it is republished here with permission. Sign up for Grist’s weekly newsletter here.
Editor’s Note: After July 21, the following day, July 22, proceeded to break the global heat record again.
Sunday, July 21, was an unprecedented day, and not just because President Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential race so close to the election. It was the hottest day on record, according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service, with a global average temperature of 62.76 degrees Fahrenheit, slightly beating out the previous record set on July 6 of last year.
