June 2022 marks Earth’s 6th-warmest on record

This June and the year so far have ranked sixth warmest on record as the average global temperature continues with 2022's remarkably warm trend.

Besides, global sea ice reached near-record lows last month with Antarctica reporting its lowest on record, according to scientists from NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI). 

Here's a closer look at National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)'s latest monthly global climate report:

Climate by the numbers

June 2022

The average global surface (land and ocean) temperature in June was 1.57 degrees F (0.87 of a degree C) above the 20th-century average of 59.9 degrees F (15.5 degrees C), making June the sixth warmest in the 143-year record.

June 2022 marked the 46th consecutive June and the 450th consecutive month with temperatures above the 20th-century average. The ten-warmest Junes on record have all occurred since 2010.

Looking at just land temperature, June 2022 was the Northern Hemisphere's second-warmest June on record — 2.81 degrees F (1.56 degrees C) above average — behind June 2021's record high land temperature. Europe and Asia also had their second-warmest June land temperature on record.

The year to date | January through June

The first half of 2022 ranked sixth warmest on record, with a global temperature of 1.53 degrees F (0.85 of a degree C) above the 20th-century average of 56.3 degrees F (13.5 degrees C). 

According to NCEI's Global Annual Temperature Outlook, there is a greater than 99% chance that 2022 will rank among the 10-warmest years on record, but only an 11% chance that it will rank among the top five warmest.

A map of the world plotted with some of the most significant climate events that occurred during June 2022. (NOAA/NCEI)

Other notable climate events for June

Polar ice coverage hit near-record low: Globally, June 2022 saw the second-lowest June sea ice coverage (extent) on record. Only June 2019 had a smaller sea ice extent. Antarctic sea ice extent for June was a record low at 4.68 million square miles or about 471,000 square miles below average. Arctic sea ice extent last month was 347,000 square miles below the 1981-2010 average — roughly the size of Sweden, Norway and Denmark combined — and the 10th-smallest June extent in the 44-year record.

Tropical cyclone activity was about average: June 2022 produced five named storms across the globe, which is a near-normal activity for June. Only one of those, Hurricane Blas in the Eastern Pacific, reached tropical cyclone strength (74 mph). Although June's Tropical Storm Alex was only a tropical storm for approximately 30 hours, it was the Atlantic's first named storm of the season.