Sunday, the hottest day ever in the world

World temperature records were broken on Sunday in what may have been the hottest day on record, data suggested.

Global average surface air temperature has reached 17.09 degrees Celsius, according to data from the Copernicus Climate Change Service. This was above the last highest temperature on record – 17.08 degrees Celsius on June 6 last year, the Guardian reported. 

"It is shocking how much difference there is between the temperatures of the last 13 months and the previous temperature records. We are now truly in uncharted territory – and as the climate continues to warm, we will see records being broken in the coming months and years," said Copernicus director Carlo Buontempo.

The finding comes as large parts of the world are engulfed in scorching heat.