Overview

• Earth’s rotation is forecast to peak its fastest speeds on July 9, July 22 and August 5, with days predicted to be between 1.30 and 1.50 milliseconds shorter than 86,400 seconds.
• Since 2020 the planet has consistently broken its shortest-day record, most recently reaching 1.66 milliseconds under 24 hours in 2024.
• The Moon’s orbit at its furthest inclinations from the equator is expected to reduce lunar drag and contribute to this year’s unusually brief days.
• Seismic shifts and internal mass redistributions also remain under investigation as potential drivers of the unexpected acceleration.
• The International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service will use atomic clocks and global observations to verify whether this summer’s rotations break the current record.