February 2024 Sets Hottest Global Temperature Record, Continues Trend of Climate Extremes

The European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) has announced that February 2024 was the hottest February on record, with the global average temperature rising by 1.77 degrees Celsius compared to the pre-industrial average. This marks the ninth consecutive month of setting high temperature records. According to Carlo Buontempo of C3S, while this may appear alarming, it is not surprising given the ongoing warming of the climate system, which leads to new temperature extremes.

Europe experienced particularly exceptional temperatures in February, with average temperatures 3.3 degrees Celsius higher than the monthly average from 1991 to 2020. The hot and dry weather has also fueled fires in North and South America, including the deadliest wildfires in Chile's history. Unseasonably warm weather has been observed in many other parts of the world as well.

Ocean temperatures are even more extreme, with global average sea surface temperatures in February surpassing those of August 2023, making it the warmest month on record. A single day in late February recorded an average sea surface temperature of 21.09 degrees Celsius, the highest ever observed, and sea ice in both the Arctic and Antarctic remained below average.

Richard Allan from the University of Reading in the UK attributes the record high temperatures on land and ocean primarily to the increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Additionally, the warming impact of the El Niño climate pattern on the Pacific Ocean has contributed to these high temperatures. Allan also mentions that reduced air pollution has led to a decrease in reflective aerosols, further contributing to higher temperatures in certain regions.

According to the latest forecast from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the El Niño that emerged in June 2023, which made last year the hottest on record, is expected to weaken by the middle of this year and might be replaced by a cooler La Niña. However, immediate relief may not be guaranteed, as historically, the year following an El Niño tends to experience the lingering effects of its warming impact.