In an alarming reportscientists, scientists from the National Environmental Information Centers (NCEI) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have confirmed that 2024 has been the warmest year recorded in the history of the planet.
This analysis revealed that the average land and ocean surface temperature exceeded the 20th century average by 2.32 degrees Fahrenheit (1.29 degrees Celsius), setting a new record since records began in 1850.
The seriousness of the global warming was also reflected in the reduction of Antarctic sea icewhich reached its second lowest extent in history. During 2024, the average Antarctic sea ice coverage was just 4.00 million square miles, a fact that underscores the accelerated loss of ice in the polar regions.
The analysis of the NOAA details that the global temperature in 2024 was 0.18 degrees Fahrenheit (0.10 degrees Celsius) higher than in 2023, the previous record year. Regionally, Africa, Europe, North America, Oceania and South America recorded their warmest year, while Asia and the Arctic had their second warmest year.
The last 10 years have been the warmest on record since 1850, with 2024 exceeding the pre-industrial average by 2.63 degrees Fahrenheit (1.46 degrees Celsius).
The NASAthe Copernicus Climate Change Service and the United Kingdom Meteorological Office also indicated that 2024 is the warmest year on record, supporting NOAA's findings.
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#2024 global surface temperature was 2.32°F (1.29°C) above avg.https://t.co/glEzGxGNfH@NOAANCEI #StateOfClimate pic.twitter.com/fdVicWtQE2
- NOAA (@NOAA) January 10, 2025
Signs of the climate crisis
The heat content of the upper ocean layer also reached record levels in 2024, underscoring the ocean's capacity to store excess heat from the Earth system. This indicator, monitored since 1958, shows that the five years with the highest values have occurred in the last five years.
The global tropical cyclone activity remained near average with 85 named storms, of which 42 reached tropical cyclone strength and 23 reached major tropical cyclone strength. Four storms reached Category 5 on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale.
Source: NOAA
