Summer 2024 Confirmed As Hottest On Record By EU Climate Service

Summer 2024 has been recorded as the hottest on Earth, increasing the likelihood that this year will the warmest ever measured, according to European climate service Copernicus. This follows last year's record-breaking temperatures, driven by human-induced climate change and a temporary from El Nino.

The northern meteorological summer, spanning June, July, and August, averaged 16.8 degrees Celsius (62.24 degrees Fahrenheit), surpassing the previous record set in 2023 by 0.03 degrees Celsius (0.05 degrees Fahrenheit). Copernicus records date back to 1940, but data from American, British, and Japanese sources indicate the last decade has been the hottest since regular measurements began.

Augusts of both 2024 and 2023 tied for the hottest on record at 16.82 degrees Celsius (62.27 degrees Fahrenheit). Although July did not set a new record, it was close behind 2023's figures. However, June 2024 was significantly hotter than June 2023, making this summer the hottest overall.

"What those sober numbers indicate is how the climate crisis is tightening its grip on us," said Stefan Rahmstorf from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Research. The high temperatures have likely pushed dew points to near-record highs globally this summer.

This summer's extreme weather events included flooding in Sudan affecting over 300,000 people and bringing cholera to the region. In Italy, severe droughts hit Sicily and Sardinia, while Typhoon Gaemi caused devastation in the Philippines, Taiwan, and China.

Human-caused climate change combined with El Nino has driven these temperature spikes. Despite a shift towards La Nina last month, global sea surface temperatures remained unusually high in August.

Until recently, Copernicus Director Carlo Buontempo was uncertain if 2024 would break last year's heat record due to August 2023's extreme heat. However, with August 2024 matching those levels, he now believes it's "pretty certain" this year will be the warmest on record.

"In order for 2024 not to become the warmest on record, we need to see very significant landscape cooling for the remaining few months," Buontempo said. This scenario appears unlikely given current trends.

The primary driver behind these temperature extremes is long-term human-caused climate change from burning fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas. "It's really not surprising that we see this heat wave," Buontempo noted. "We are bound to see more."

The ongoing changes in our climate are evident through these rising temperatures and increasingly severe weather patterns worldwide.