August 8, 2024 — The Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) has reported that 2024 is increasingly likely to be the hottest year on record, despite July marking the end of a 13-month streak of monthly temperature records.
According to the latest data from C3S, July 2024 was the second warmest July on record, just 0.04 degrees Celsius cooler than July 2023. The global average temperature for last month was 16.91°C. While this represents a slight drop from the record heat of July 2023, the overall trend of rising temperatures continues unabated.
Samantha Burgess, deputy director of C3S, commented on the situation, stating, “The streak of record-breaking months has come to an end, but only by a whisker.” Burgess highlighted that despite the end of the record-setting streak, “the overall context hasn’t changed; our climate continues to warm.”
From January to July 2024, global temperatures have been 0.70°C above the 1991-2020 average. Given this anomaly, C3S indicated that it is “increasingly likely” that 2024 will surpass 2023 as the hottest year on record if current trends persist.
July 2024 was 1.48°C warmer than the average temperatures recorded during the period from 1850 to 1900, before significant industrialization began. This intense heat has resulted in severe weather conditions worldwide. July witnessed the Earth’s two hottest days on record, with global average temperatures peaking at 17.6°C on July 22 and 23.
The Mediterranean region experienced a punishing heatwave, described by scientists as “virtually impossible” without the influence of global warming. In addition to Europe’s extreme temperatures, China and Japan endured their hottest July on record.
Pakistan faced record-breaking rainfall, wildfires devastated western US states, and Hurricane Beryl caused extensive damage from the Caribbean to the southeastern United States.
Ocean temperatures, which absorb about 90 percent of excess heat due to human activities, were also among the second warmest on record for July. The average sea surface temperature reached 20.88°C last month, just 0.01°C below July 2023.
Despite a transition from the El Nino weather pattern, which contributes to higher temperatures, to its cooler counterpart, La Nina, ocean temperatures remained unusually high.
C3S scientists observed that even with this shift, air temperatures over many ocean regions remained significantly elevated. This persistence in high temperatures underscores the ongoing impact of climate change despite natural climatic variations.
World Meteorological Organization Secretary-General Celeste Saulo reflected on the current climate situation, noting, “This is becoming too hot to handle.” Saulo’s remarks emphasize the growing urgency to address climate change, which continues to produce widespread, intense, and prolonged heatwaves.
As 2024 progresses, the data indicates that the trend towards unprecedented global temperatures is likely to continue, reinforcing the need for immediate and substantial action to mitigate the impacts of climate change.