07/05/2026
A warning to the world.
The Arctic Circle just reached 100.4°F.
On June 20, 2020, the Siberian town of Verkhoyansk registered an astonishing 100.4°F (38°C)—a reading later officially confirmed by the World Meteorological Organization as the highest temperature ever recorded at or north of the Arctic Circle.
This extreme spike occurred during a prolonged Siberian heatwave where regional temperatures soared up to 18°F above normal. The root of this dramatic warming lies in Arctic amplification: as reflective snow and ice melt away, they expose darker land and ocean surfaces that absorb sunlight rather than reflecting it, creating a self-reinforcing loop of rapid warming.
The consequences of this warming extend far beyond a single record-breaking day. The intense heat dries out vegetation and soil, triggering massive wildfires that release carbon dioxide and soot, which further darkens remaining ice. Simultaneously, sustained warmth accelerates the thawing of ancient permafrost—permanently frozen ground that traps vast reserves of organic matter. As it thaws, microbes decompose this material, releasing massive quantities of carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere, threatening to supercharge global climate change.
source:
World Meteorological Organization. June 2026.