Hottest day ever recorded globally on 21 July

Sunday 21 July was the hottest day ever recorded globally, according to preliminary data from the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service.

The global average surface air temperature on Sunday reached 17.09 degrees Celsius (62.76F) - slightly higher than the previous record set last July of 17.08C (62.74F).

Heatwaves have scorched large swathes of the United States, Europe and Russia over the past week.

Copernicus confirmed that the record daily temperature average set last year appeared to have been broken on Sunday, in their records which extend back to 1940.