February 2024 was the hottest on record, with global temperatures exceeding critical climate thresholds

The world is experiencing another month of record heat. Last month was the hottest February on record globally, with “abnormally high” temperatures in both the sky and sea, according to new data from Copernicus, the European Union's climate change monitoring service.

Record-breaking heat is coming as the United States continues to battle extreme weather.In recent weeks, communities across the country Spring or summer-like temperaturesextreme rain and flooding, heavy snowand the fire weather conditions that drove Texas Biggest wildfire in history It quickly became one of the largest in U.S. history. Such extreme events are a byproduct of rising global temperatures due to climate change, and are expected to become more frequent and intense as the world warms.

According to Copernicus, Earth's average surface temperature in February was 13.54 degrees Celsius (about 56.4 degrees Fahrenheit). This is 1.77 degrees Celsius higher than the average February temperature before the industrial revolution, making each month the hottest on record for nine consecutive months worldwide.it comes after that Record broken in 2023 for Warmest year.

Copernicus found that February's highest temperatures, which are considered “unusually high,” were seen within the first two weeks of the month. According to the group's scientists, the world's average daily temperature during the same period reached a level 2 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial average temperature for four consecutive days, from February 8th to 11th.

Even the world's oceans absorb 90% of the earth's heat. record high temperature. Dr. Copernicus found that the global average sea surface temperature in February was 21.06 degrees Celsius (69.9 degrees Fahrenheit), which the agency said was “the warmest of any month in the dataset.”

Such high ocean temperatures will only exacerbate the global warming cycle. Ocean warming brings about melting sea ice, which is essential for reflecting sunlight and keeping temperatures low. Without ice, sea levels would continue to rise and temperatures would continue to rise. These two factors promote extreme weather events.

Ocean warming also leads to spread coral bleachingfurther threatening marine ecosystems and economies.

Climate scientists have long warned about several climate thresholds that put the world at greater risk of extreme weather events that threaten people around the world, primarily those living along coasts and islands. These thresholds include global temperatures rising by 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels over several years, or an even more dire 2 degrees Celsius warming. January is first time on record The average global temperature has reached a warming threshold of 1.5 degrees over a 12-month period.

Crossing these milestones in February does not mean that the world as a whole has crossed the threshold, but it does indicate that human activity continues to exceed it.

Carlo Buontempo, director of the Copernicus Climate Change Service, said the data was “remarkable” but “not so surprising because continued warming of the climate system will inevitably lead to new temperature extremes.” Not,” he said.

“The climate responds to the actual concentrations. greenhouse gas “We will therefore inevitably face new global temperature records and their impacts unless we succeed in stabilizing them,” he said.

Recent records are in progress El Nino phenomenon It started last summer. This system occurs in the Pacific Ocean every 2 to 7 years.warmer than averageThe recent El Niño peaked in December, and the World Meteorological Organization said it was “one of the five strongest on record” at its peak.

“Although it is now gradually weakening, it clearly will continue to have an impact on the global climate in the coming months,” WMO spokeswoman Claire Nuris said at a recent briefing. “So even after it completely disappears, we will still continue to feel the effects of this event.”

This El Niño in particular is at least partially caused by human activity, she said, as humans continue to burn fossil fuels and emit greenhouse gases that essentially blanket the atmosphere and trap heat from the sun. Stated.

“El Niño is a naturally occurring phenomenon, but now every El Niño event, every La Niña event, is occurring in a climate that has been fundamentally altered by human activity,” Nuris said. “Above-normal temperatures are expected for the coming months.”