Planet swelters during ‘two unofficial hottest days’ on record

After scientists talked about Monday’s dramatic heat, Tuesday soared 0.17C even hotter, which is a huge temperature jump in terms of global averages and records

A woman uses a sweater to shield from the sun in Beijing on Monday (Andy Wong/AP)

The entire planet has sweltered for the two unofficial hottest days in human record-keeping, University of Maine scientists at the Climate Reanalyser project have said.

For two straight days, the global average temperature spiked into uncharted territory.