Scientists have announced that February 2024 has officially become the hottest February ever recorded worldwide, marking the ninth consecutive month of record-breaking temperatures. The Copernicus Climate Change Service of the EU revealed that not only were global sea surface temperatures at an all-time high, but February’s temperature exceeded normal levels by 0.81°C based on data from 1991 to 2020, and by 1.77°C compared to the pre-industrial period from 1850 to 1900.
Over the past year, from March 2023 to February 2024, the average global temperature reached a record high of 1.56°C above pre-industrial levels, briefly surpassing the critical 1.5°C threshold associated with severe long-term climate change impacts. During the first half of February, daily average temperatures globally soared, with four days from February 8th to 11th registering temperatures up to 2°C higher than those observed in the late 19th century.
In Europe, February temperatures soared to 3.3°C above the average from 1991 to 2020, particularly affecting central and eastern regions. The winter spanning from December 2023 to February 2024 ranked as the second warmest on record for Europe. Global sea surface temperatures in February, excluding polar regions, peaked at an unprecedented 21.06°C, surpassing the previous record set in August 2023.
Carlo Buontempo, director of the Copernicus Climate Change Service, highlighted the continuous warming trend and emphasized the critical need to curb greenhouse gas emissions to prevent further temperature extremes. Dr. Friederike Otto from Imperial College London stressed the urgency of transitioning away from fossil fuels to mitigate the worsening impacts of climate change-associated extreme weather events.
