Climate Group: Summer 2024 Was Hottest on Record
A European climate service declared that summer 2024 was the hottest ever recorded, potentially making this year the warmest in history. The data came from the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service, which monitors climate changes worldwide. The average global temperature during June, July, and August 2024 was 16.8°C, slightly higher than 2023. Despite Copernicus records only dating back to 1940, other sources confirm that the past decade has been the hottest period since measurements began.
The high temperatures were linked to increased humidity, and scientists predict that 2024 will likely set the record as the warmest year ever unless drastic cooling occurs in the final months of the year—a scenario deemed unlikely.
Experts warn that these temperature increases have serious real-world consequences. Heatwaves, droughts, and flooding are becoming more frequent and severe, with regions like Phoenix, Arizona experiencing over 100 days of temperatures above 37.8°C. Climate scientists emphasize the need to take action to address these growing dangers.
The warming trend is largely driven by human activities, particularly the use of fossil fuels. Though an El Niño event contributed to the extreme heat in 2023, it is human-caused climate change that is now the dominant factor behind rising temperatures.
FAQs
1. What is Copernicus Climate Change Service? Copernicus is a European Union program that provides detailed data on climate changes across Europe and the rest of the world.
2. Why was summer 2024 the hottest on record? The average global temperature during the summer was 16.8°C, a slight increase from the previous year. This trend is mainly due to human-caused climate change, particularly from the use of fossil fuels.
3. What is El Niño? El Niño is a weather pattern characterized by the warming of surface temperatures in the eastern and central Pacific Ocean, often leading to hot, dry conditions in some regions and contributing to extreme weather globally.
4. How does climate change affect daily life? Rising global temperatures lead to more severe heatwaves, droughts, flooding, and other extreme weather events, affecting people's health, agriculture, and economies worldwide.
5. Why is 2024 expected to be the warmest year on record? Unless significant cooling occurs in the final months of 2024, the year is set to break previous records due to a combination of climate change and recent heat patterns.
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