Global Climate Summary for June 2024
- June 2024 was the warmest June on record globally.
- Africa, Asia, and South America experienced their warmest June ever.
- Sea surface temperatures remained at record highs for the 15th consecutive month.
- Both Northern Hemisphere snow cover and global sea ice extent were below average.
- Global tropical cyclone activity was below average, with only two named storms.
June Temperature: June 2024 marked the warmest June globally in NOAA's 175-year record, with a surface temperature 1.22°C (2.20°F) above the 20th-century average. This was 0.15°C (0.27°F) warmer than the previous record set in June 2023, making it the 13th consecutive month of record-high global temperatures. Both global land-only and ocean-only temperatures were the warmest on record for June, with increases of 1.75°C (3.15°F) and 0.98°C (1.76°F) above average, respectively.
Regional Temperature Anomalies: Record-warm temperatures were observed across large parts of Africa, southern Europe, Southeast Asia, and the northern two-thirds of South America. Notably, the early-season heatwave in Greece saw temperatures exceed 38ºC (100ºF), resulting in several tourist fatalities and closures of popular sites. Conversely, regions like Greenland, southern South America, northwestern Russia, and parts of Antarctica experienced cooler-than-average temperatures.
Impact on Ecosystems: The record temperatures led to early and extensive drying of the Pantanal, the world's largest tropical wetlands, resulting in over 2500 wildfires in June—six times more than the previous record in 2020. Additionally, large parts of western Antarctica saw temperatures more than 3°C above average.
Global Sea Surface Temperatures: Record-warm sea surface temperatures were widespread, particularly in the equatorial Atlantic and the Caribbean. Notably, Hurricane Beryl became the first Category 4 hurricane in the Atlantic during June. The Pacific and Indian Oceans also recorded significant warming.
Precipitation Patterns: June saw varied precipitation patterns globally. Areas like the western and eastern U.S., northern Africa, southeastern Europe, and parts of Australia experienced drier-than-average conditions. In contrast, regions such as southern Japan, eastern Europe, and parts of China saw wetter-than-average conditions. Heavy rains in Guangdong Province, China, caused significant damage and casualties.
Monsoon and Tropical Cyclone Activity: The Asian Monsoon brought early rains and floods to South Asia and southern China. The Atlantic saw the development of Tropical Storm Alberto and Hurricane Beryl, while the eastern Pacific remained storm-free.
Global Climate Trends: Despite ENSO-neutral conditions, the climate exhibited La Niña-like patterns in some regions, particularly with rainfall anomalies in the Pacific and Central America. The transition from the recent El Niño to a potential La Niña, coupled with record-high global temperatures, will likely influence global climate patterns and precipitation in the coming months.
For detailed statistics and further information, refer to the full June 2024 report from NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI).
