June heat waves have now set monthly and all-time high-temperature records in the U.S., Europe, Asia and the Russian Arctic.
Why it matters: Increasingly severe, frequent and long-lasting heat waves are a clear manifestation of human-caused global warming.
By the numbers: Japan recorded its first June temperature of 104°F (40°C) or higher, and records continue to be set there. Officials are urging millions to conserve electricity as the heat continues, including in Tokyo.
- 104.4°F (40.2°C): The high temperature in Isesaki, Japan, about 50 miles northwest of Tokyo, on June 25. This set a national heat record for the month of June.
- 97.2°F (36.2°C): High temperature in Tokyo on June 26, tied the city's hottest temperature on record, according to weather historian Maximiliano Herrera.
- 111.6°F (44.2°C): High temperature on Saturday in Lingshou in Hebei Province, China, was the all-time hottest temperature on record there. Two dozen other stations set all-time records too, Herrera tweeted.
Context: The latest heat waves come soon after other noteworthy events in the U.S., Europe and even the Russian Arctic. The city of Norilsk, Russia, had its hottest June day on the 23rd when the temperature hit 89.6°F (32°C).
- All of this heat precedes July, typically summer's hottest month in the Northern Hemisphere.
