UN probes reports on record Arctic heat in Siberia

The United Nation weather agency has been investigating media reports suggesting the Arctic Circle has recorded a new record high temperature of over 38 degrees Celsius amid a heat wave and prolonged wildfires in eastern Siberia.

The World Meteorological Organization said on Tuesday that it’s inspecting to verify the temperature reading on Saturday in Russia's Verkoyansk with Roshydromet, the Russian federal service for hydro-meteorological and environmental monitoring.

Agency spokeswoman Clare Nullis said wildfires in the Russian region and hot summer conditions regularly drive temperatures above 30C in July, but they’ve never been found to top 38 degrees in the area.

“We’re taking it seriously, but we need to await official confirmation,” she told reporters in Geneva, reports AP.