According to Copernicus, the average surface air temperature across the world last month was 13.54 degrees Celsius.
This was 0.81 degrees above the 1991-2020 average for February and 0.12 degrees above the previous warmest February on record in 2016.
Thus, while the last 9 months have been the warmest ever recorded, the global average temperature in the last 12 months (March 2023-February 2024) has risen 0.68 degrees Celsius above the 1991-2020 average.
This year’s winter in Europe was 1.44 degrees above the 1991-2020 average, making it the second warmest on record after the 2019-2020 winter.
Carlo Buontempo, Director of Copernicus Climate Change Service, stated that February was among the record temperatures recorded in recent months and warned that record temperatures will continue to be experienced worldwide if global warming cannot be prevented.
UNUSUALLY HIGH SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURE
In Europe, temperatures in February were 3.30 degrees Celsius above the 1991-2020 average, while Central and Eastern Europe experienced “well above average” temperatures.
“Above average” temperatures were also recorded in northern Siberia, central and northwestern North America, most of South America, all of Africa and Western Australia.
Sea surface temperatures have reached “unusually high levels” as well as surface air temperatures around the world.
The average sea surface temperature of 21.06 degrees Celsius in February was the highest ever recorded for any month.
In the previous record set in August 2023, the sea surface temperature was measured at 20.98 degrees.
