The Copernicus Climate Change Service reports that summer 2024 was the warmest on record for Earth.
At 1.54C above the long-term average of 1991–2020, it was also the warmest in all of Europe, breaking the previous record set in 2022.
In addition, August was the 13th month over a 14-month span when the average world temperature rose by more than 1.5C over pre-industrial levels. While the UK enjoyed its coldest summer since 2015, July temperatures throughout much of Europe were above average.
The average global temperature so far this year is 0.7C higher than the average from 1991 to 2020, the highest level ever recorded.
Consequently, the likelihood that 2024 will be the world’s warmest year on record is growing, according to the EU’s climate service Copernicus, external.
The average global temperature just hit a record high last year.
Warmest year on record: 2023 Heatwaves and other extreme weather have an impact everywhere in the world.
“Temperature-related extreme events witnessed this summer will only become more intense,” stated Samantha Burgess, deputy director of Copernicus.
Throughout the summer, temperature records have been smashed throughout Europe. It was the warmest Austria has ever had.
August was the hottest on record for Spain, Finland, and Switzerland combined.
While the majority of Europe was hot, the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom, western Portugal, Iceland, and southern Norway saw lower temperatures.
EL NIÑO WARMING TO END
Although El Niño, a natural climatic trend, has contributed to the record heat in 2023 and 2024, human activity has been the primary driver of the rise in global temperatures.
From June 2023 to May 2024, there was an El Niño, which is a natural warming of sea surface temperatures in the eastern Pacific.
Higher sea surface temperatures during this period heated the atmosphere more.
Even though it is already done, its contribution to raising the global temperature will still have an impact on 2024 as a whole.
In the upcoming months, scientists at the Australian Bureau of Meteorology predict that the Pacific will move into the cooler phase of La Niña.
