The Isle of Man, nestled in the Irish Sea between Great Britain to its east and Ireland to its west, boasts of "breathtaking natural beauty" and "a vibrant cultural heritage." The island, about the size of Chicago, just saw its warmest summer on record.
The Met Office, the United Kingdom's national meteorological service, reported that the average temperature for meteorological summer, June through August, was 60.8 degrees Fahrenheit for the Isle of Man, making it the island's warmest summer on record, surpassing the summer of 1995, the previous warmest summer on record, by 18 degrees Fahrenheit.
The average summer temperature takes into consideration both daytime highs and overnight lows. The average minimum temperatures were "significantly above average" according to Met Office meteorologists, per the BBC. The average low temperature for the summer was over two degrees Fahrenheit warmer than normal.
Researchers with non-profit Climate Central found our overheating planet is increasing the number of warmer-than-average summer nights around the world. They focused on the change in nighttime temperatures in India, the U.S., and the UK.
The report concluded that, due to a warming world, 2.4 billion people experience an average of at least two more weeks each year where minimum temperatures exceed 77 degrees Fahrenheit.
"High nighttime temperatures are detrimental to human health," said the authors of the study. "These temperatures prevent the body from recovering from daytime heat, increase the risk of illness and mortality, and disrupt sleep."
The National Centers for Environmental Information's (NCEI) July global climate report revealed the January through July period of this year was the second warmest such period on record for Earth. There is a 99.9% chance that 2025 will rank among the top five warmest years on record.
"Minimum (nighttime) temperatures were notably high, with the U.K. experiencing its second-warmest July on record for minimum temperatures, according to the Met Office," the NCEI report stated. The report also noted that Ireland's five warmest Julys on record have happened since 2001.
The geography of the Isle of Man blends hills, valleys, rivers, a mountainous center, and rugged coastlines. According to the Isle of Man's Department for Enterprise, the island is the only entire nation in the world to be designated as a UNESCO Biosphere.
"Designated in 2016, Biosphere Isle of Man encompasses the entire island and its territorial seas, and recognises our island's natural beauty and biodiversity, unique culture and heritage, resilient economy and, crucially, our community who care deeply, working together to create a sustainable future for all," noted UNESCO.
It's a beautiful place, but it finds itself threatened by a warming world. Islands are often referred to as "canaries in the coal mine" when it comes to how they are affected by the impacts of the buildup of heat-trapping gases in the planet's atmosphere. Since they are surrounded by water, they are particularly vulnerable to sea level rise, which can cause flooding and coastal erosion.
Storm Éowyn wreaked havoc on the Isle of Man in January when it whipped up winds that exceeded 112 miles per hour. The storm's strong winds prompted the first Red Warning to be issued for Northern Ireland since the Met Office introduced impact-based warnings in 2011. Large waves driven by Éowyn's waves battered the Isle of Man's coastline, causing coastal erosion and flooding. The BBC reported that power was down for a million people in the UK and Ireland, and around 340 people lost power on the Isle of Man.