Global Temperature Reaches Record High in June 2024

June 2024 was the hottest June on record globally and marked the 13th consecutive month of setting a monthly temperature record. This phenomenon mirrors a similar streak of monthly global temperature records observed in 2015/2016.

Rising Temperatures

According to the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service, the average global temperature for the past 12 months has been 1.5°C above the pre-industrial era baseline. Specifically, June 2024 was 1.50°C above the estimated June average for 1850-1900, the pre-industrial reference period, making it the 12th consecutive month to reach or exceed the 1.5°C threshold. The global-average temperature for July 2023 to June 2024 was 1.64°C above the pre-industrial average.

Sea Surface Temperatures

June 2024 saw the highest recorded sea surface temperature (SST) for the month, averaging 20.85°C over the region from 60°S to 60°N. This marked the fifteenth consecutive month of record-high SSTs for the respective month of the year.

Implications and Warnings

“These latest figures from the Copernicus Climate Change Service highlight the increasing frequency of temporary breaches of the 1.5°C threshold,” said WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo. “However, these temporary breaches do not imply that the 1.5°C goal is permanently lost, as this target refers to long-term warming over at least two decades.”

Paris Agreement Goals

Under the Paris Agreement, countries committed to keeping the long-term global average surface temperature rise well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and to pursuing efforts to limit it to 1.5°C. Scientists warn that surpassing the 1.5°C threshold risks triggering severe climate change impacts and extreme weather events.

Current Climate Impacts

At current warming levels, devastating climate impacts are already evident, including more extreme heatwaves, rainfall events, droughts, reductions in ice sheets, sea ice, and glaciers, accelerating sea level rise, and ocean heating.

“June saw widespread and prolonged heatwaves, affecting various aspects of life, even before the peak of the northern hemisphere summer,” Saulo noted. “The record sea surface temperatures also pose a threat to marine ecosystems and contribute to the intensity of tropical cyclones, as demonstrated by Hurricane Beryl.”

Monitoring and Data

The WMO uses six international datasets, including ERA5, for climate monitoring. Other datasets might not confirm the 12-month streak highlighted by Copernicus due to the small margins above 1.5°C for some months and differences among the datasets. The Copernicus Climate Change Service, managed by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts and funded by the EU, publishes monthly climate bulletins.

“Even if this specific streak ends, new records will likely continue as the climate warms, unless we stop adding greenhouse gases to the atmosphere and oceans,” warned Carlo Buontempo, Director of the Copernicus Climate Change Service.

Regional Temperature Highlights

European temperatures were significantly above average in southeastern regions and Türkiye, but near or below average in western Europe, Iceland, and northwestern Russia. Outside Europe, temperatures were most above average in eastern Canada, the western U.S. and Mexico, Brazil, northern Siberia, the Middle East, northern Africa, and western Antarctica. Conversely, temperatures were below average in the eastern equatorial Pacific, indicating a developing La Niña, although ocean air temperatures remained unusually high in many regions.

Precipitation Highlights

June 2024 was wetter than average in Iceland, central and southwestern Europe, leading to floods in Germany, Italy, France, and Switzerland. It was drier than average in Ireland, most of the UK, southern Italy, and Eastern Europe, particularly around the Black Sea. Outside Europe, wetter-than-average conditions were seen in parts of North America, southwestern and southeastern Asia, southernmost Africa, and regions of Australia and South America. Drier-than-average conditions occurred in North America, several regions of Asia, and most of South America, with severe wildfires in northeastern Russia and central South America.

Sea Ice Highlights

Arctic sea ice extent was 3% below average, consistent with values observed since 2010. Antarctic sea ice extent was 12% below average, the second-lowest for June in the satellite data record, following the lowest value of -16% in June 2023.