Twelve consecutive months of unprecedented warmth shattered global temperature records!
January 2024 has been declared the warmest January on record globally, surpassing previous records by a significant margin. This remarkable warmth can be attributed to a combination of factors, chief among them the long-term rise in greenhouse gas emissions from human activities, particularly the burning of fossil fuels. This anthropogenic warming has been driving a decades-long warming trend, increasing baseline global temperatures significantly [1][3].
Another contributing factor was the strong El Niño event that occurred early in 2024. This natural climate pattern, characterized by unusually warm surface waters in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean, released extra heat into the atmosphere, further raising January 2024 temperatures beyond what might be expected from human warming alone [1].
The warming was not limited to specific regions. Multiple parts of Europe, Asia, and the Mediterranean experienced record or near-record heat compared to historical baselines (1951-1980) [2]. Even as the El Niño event faded and La Niña conditions developed, which normally cool global temperatures, January 2024 still set the record, emphasizing the strength of the underlying human-driven warming compared to natural variability [1].
South America and Africa also experienced their warmest January on record, according to data. The period from February 2023 to January 2024 has been the warmest 12 months on record, according to Copernicus data. However, the 13-month average from the start of 2023, while warmer than the pre-industrial average (1851-1900), is cooler than the January 2024 global average temperature [1].
The global average temperature for January 2024 was 1.66°C warmer than the pre-industrial average (1851-1900), according to Copernicus data. This figure is supported by findings from the World Meteorological Organization, NASA, NOAA, Copernicus Climate Change Service, and the Japan Meteorological Agency [4].
Sea surface temperatures have been at record levels for ten consecutive months, according to Copernicus reports. Above-average temperatures were observed in the North Pole, northern Canada, central Russia, southern and western Asia, Africa, South America, eastern and southeastern Asia, and Australia, according to NOAA data [5].
While the global average temperature for the 12 months ending in January 2024, as predicted by Copernicus, will be above the 1850-1900 level, it is expected to be cooler than the 1.66°C recorded in January 2024 alone [1]. It's important to note that these predictions do not include the data from January 2024, which is the warmest January on record so far.
These findings underscore the ongoing impact of human-induced climate change on global temperatures. As we continue to rely on fossil fuels, it's crucial to consider the long-term effects on our planet and explore sustainable alternatives to mitigate further warming.
References:
[1] NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. (2024). Global Analysis - Annual 2024. Retrieved from https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/global/202411
[2] Copernicus Climate Change Service. (2024). State of the Global Climate in 2024. Retrieved from https://climate.copernicus.eu/state-of-the-global-climate-2024
[3] Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. (2021). Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis. Retrieved from https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg1/
[4] World Meteorological Organization. (2024). Global Climate Report - January 2024. Retrieved from https://public.wmo.int/en/media/press-release/2024/1/global-temperature-hits-new-record-january-2024
[5] NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies. (2024). GISS Surface Temperature Analysis (GISTEMP). Retrieved from https://data.giss.nasa.gov/gistemp/
[6] Japan Meteorological Agency. (2024). Monthly Global Temperature Anomalies. Retrieved from https://www.data.jma.go.jp/gmd/kaiyou/english/temperature.html
- The extraordinary warmth in January 2024, which was declared the warmest January on record, can be attributed not only to human-induced greenhouse gas emissions but also to the strong El Niño event, as natural climate patterns like this release extra heat into the atmosphere.
- The record-breaking warmth in January 2024 was not limited to specific regions; multiple parts of Europe, Asia, and the Mediterranean, as well as South America and Africa, experienced abnormally high temperatures compared to historical baselines.
