August was the hottest month on record globally, tied with August 2023

The European Copernicus Observatory announced that the average global temperature was 16.82°C during the month. That is 0.71°C higher than the average between 1991 and 2020.

The year is not over yet, but temperatures recorded across the globe this summer make it “increasingly likely that 2024 will be the hottest year on record”. In his In its latest monthly report published on Friday, September 6, the European Copernicus Observatory announced that August 2024 was the hottest August ever observed globally, tied with August 2023. With an average global temperature of 16.82°C, it is 1.51°C above the pre-industrial level and 0.71°C above the average for Augusts between 1991 and 2020.

“The globe experienced the hottest June and August on record, the hottest day on record and the hottest northern summer on record.”lists Samantha Burgess, deputy director of the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), in a press release. “This series of record temperatures increases the probability that 2024 will be the hottest year on record”exceeding the already historic values ​​of 2023.

“The extreme temperature events seen this summer will only intensify, with more devastating consequences for people and the planet, unless we take urgent action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”

Samantha Burgess, Deputy Director of Copernicus

in a press release

While July was the second warmest month since records began, just behind July 2023, the global average temperature anomaly that has been ongoing since January supports the possibility that 2024 will ultimately break a new record. “The average anomaly for the remaining months of this year would have to drop by at least 0.30°C so that 2024 is no warmer than 2023.”explains Copernicus, adding that “this never happened”.

In Europe, the average temperature in August was 1.57°C higher than those recorded over the period 1991-2020, “which makes this month the second hottest August ever recorded in Europe after August 2022”specifies Copernicus. The European observatory points out very different situations on the continent with temperatures “above average in southern and eastern Europe, but below average in north-western parts of Ireland and the United Kingdom, Iceland, the west coast of Portugal and southern Norway”.

In the rest of the world, temperatures were well above their averages. “in eastern Antarctica, Texas, Mexico, Canada, northeastern Africa, Iran, China, Japan, and Australia”while they were lower than the values ​​usually recorded “in far eastern Russia and Alaska, the eastern United States, parts of southern South America, Pakistan and the Sahel”Copernicus continues.

Since the 19th century, the average temperature of the Earth has warmed by 1.1°C. Scientists have established with certainty that this increase is due to human activities, consumers of fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas). This warming, unprecedented in its speed, threatens the future of our societies and biodiversity. But solutions – renewable energies, moderation, reduction of meat consumption – exist. Discover our answers to your questions on the climate crisis.