976. Global Temperatures in February 2024

The Copernicus Climate Change Service, the European Union's weather information agency, announced that global temperatures in February 2024 were the highest on record, and sea surface temperatures were also the hottest on record.

The average temperature for February 2024 was 13.54°C, 0.81°C higher than the average February temperature from 1991 to 2020, breaking the record for the warmest February to date (2016) by 0.12°C and 1.77°C higher than since the Industrial Revolution of 1850-1900. This is the ninth consecutive month of record monthly temperatures, with the global average temperature for the 12-month period from March 2023 to February 2024 0.68°C higher than the 1991-2020 average and 1.56°C higher than the 1850-1900 average.

In particular, for four consecutive days from February 8-11, temperatures were 2°C above the 1850-1900 average. February 2024 temperatures in Europe were 3.3°C warmer than the 1991-2020 February average, particularly in central and eastern Europe, where temperatures were well above average.

Although the El Niño event is weakening in the equatorial Pacific, sea surface temperatures are generally above normal. In February 2024, 21.06°C was recorded in the 60°S to 60°N region, the highest monthly temperature since data collection began.

Contributor: IIYAMA Miyuki (Information Program)