While Climate Central’s interactive tool (displaying the average temperature cities across the U.S. are expected to reach by 2100) did little to make those of us suffering a sweltering summer feel optimistic about the future, the interactive graphic below at least provides some perspective that current temperatures could always be worse.
The Andrew Sykes Group, a large air conditioning firm based in the UK, has developed this interactive displaying record highs, and current temperatures from select cities across the globe. Smaller nodes represent cities, while larger nodes stand for the hottest temperatures ever seen on each continent.
The record high for North America was set in 1913, when the temperature in Death Valley, Calif. reached 56 degrees Celsius. What’s the record temperature in your city? Click on the nodes in the map for current and record temperatures.