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EU scientists: July was third-hottest on record

EU scientists said that this July has been the third hottest on record, behind only 2019 and 2016, with unusually high temperatures seen in regions from Finland to the United States.

Multiple areas were hit with extreme weather events last month - in line with scientists' consensus that global warming is making heatwaves more likely and more severe.

And that a hotter planet will lead to heavier rainfall.

Copernicus Climate Change Service Senior Scientist, Freja Vamborg, says it’s part of a long-term warming trend.

"The results from this month's release of Copernicus Climate Change data show that globally July was the joint warmest on record - joined with last year - and of course with the global warming trend, we will see record breaking months and years as we move forward, and because of this underlying trend. But then of course there are slight variations on top of that so not every year is going to be warmer than the next or every month."

Record-breaking heat in the United States and Canada, which began in June, killed hundreds of people and fanned wildfires.

While China, Belgium, and Germany experienced deadly floods caused by extreme rainfall.

Some regions, including Germany and parts of Russia, were slightly colder than average.

Copernicus' records go back to 1950 but are cross-checked with other datasets that trace back to the mid-19th century.