Recent data from the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) has revealed that January 2024 has been labeled as the warmest January globally on record.
The average ERA5 surface air temperature for the month was 13.14°C, surpassing the 1991-2020 average for January by 0.70°C and exceeding the temperature of the previous warmest January in 2020 by 0.12°C.
This marks the eighth consecutive month where the recorded temperatures set new records for their respective months. Although the global temperature anomaly for January 2024 was lower compared to the last six months of 2023, it remained higher than any anomalies recorded before July 2023. In relation to a pre-industrial reference period (1850-1900), January 2024 was notably warmer, registering a 1.66°C increase in comparison to the estimated January average for that period.
Furthermore, the global mean temperature for the twelve months from February 2023 to January 2024 has reached unprecedented levels, standing at 0.64°C above the 1991-2020 average and a substantial 1.52°C above the pre-industrial average from 1850-1900.
C3S reported diverse temperature patterns across Europe in January 2024. The temperatures in the Nordic countries were significantly below the 1991-2020 average, while in the southern regions of the continent, temperatures were notably higher than the average for the same period. Outside of Europe, temperatures exhibited distinctive trends. Eastern Canada, north-western Africa, the Middle East, and central Asia experienced temperatures well above the average. Conversely, western Canada, the central USA, and the majority of eastern Siberia witnessed temperatures below the average.
While El Niño started to weaken in the equatorial Pacific during this period, marine air temperatures, in general, remained persistently elevated, contributing to the overall global temperature dynamics. The average global sea surface temperature (SST) for January within the latitudes 60°S–60°N has set a new record at 20.97°C. This surpasses the previous warmest January recorded in 2016 by 0.26°C and stands as the second-highest value for any month in the ERA5 dataset, closely trailing the record from August 2023 by only 0.01°C (20.98°C).
Samantha Burgess, Deputy Director of the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), highlighted the extraordinary nature of 2024’s start. Not only does it mark the warmest January on record, but it also concludes a 12-month period with temperatures consistently surpassing 1.5°C above the pre-industrial reference period. Burgess emphasized the urgency of significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions as the imperative measure to mitigate the continuous rise in global temperatures.
In contrast to the warmer sea surface temperatures, the Arctic sea ice extent in January was relatively close to the average and marked the highest for the month since 2009. Antarctic sea ice extent, on the other hand, ranked as the sixth lowest for January, recording an 18% deficit compared to the average. In terms of precipitation, January 2024 saw wetter-than-average conditions across significant portions of Europe, notably impacted by storms in north- and south-western Europe. Conversely, drier-than-average conditions were observed in regions across the globe.
The data provided by C3S offers crucial insights into the global climate and highlights the urgency in addressing the rise in global temperatures through significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. As the impact of climate change continues to grow, the findings underline the importance of prioritizing sustainable and environmentally friendly practices to mitigate further global warming.
