The world (also) experienced “exceptional” temperatures in April, as monthly records of warmth were recorded both on the ground and at the surface of the oceans, according to the latest data from the European observatory Copernicus, released today.
The natural climate phenomenon El Niño “continued to weaken”, leaving open the possibility of lower temperatures later this year, but no change was observed in the underlying trend, that of global warming, fuelled by the massive burning of fossil fuels (petrol, oil, gas, coal).
Back above 1.5° Celsius
From June 2023, every month without fail, the heat record is shattered.
April 2024 was no exception to what is tending to become the norm, with an average temperature of 15.03° Celsius, in other words 1.58 degrees above any normal April of the pre-industrial era (1850-1900).
“Although it is unusual, such a series of monthly records had already been observed in 2015-2016”, when it had lasted 15 months, the Copernicus service stresses.
In the last 12 months, the global temperature has averaged 1.61° Celsius higher than in the pre-industrial era, above the Paris Agreement’s (2015) target of no more than 1.5° Celsius warming. However, this anomaly has to be recorded for decades to be considered as the climate has exceeded this absolutely critical limit.
In any case, however, it is becoming clear “how remarkable the global temperature conditions are,” Gillien Nicolas, a climatologist at the European climate change agency Copernicus (C3S), stressed to Agence France-Presse.
Last month was the second warmest ever recorded in Europe, as was March and the entire winter season.
Each additional degree of global warming is accompanied by “extreme climate events, which are becoming increasingly severe and more likely”, recalls Gillien Nicola, as the last few weeks have been marked by waves of extreme heat in Asia, India and Vietnam, while southern Brazil and other regions have been hit by extremely deadly floods.
In terms of rainfall, the Copernicus climate change agency did not draw any clear conclusions on trends in April. The month was wetter than normal in much of Europe, but drier than normal in the southern part of the continent.
The same contrast was observed outside Europe: in much of North America, Central and East Asia, the Gulf, southern Brazil, extreme rainfall caused widespread flooding. In contrast, northern Mexico, around the Caspian Sea and much of Australia experienced drought.
Oceans: Slight downturn
Ocean surface temperatures also set a record in April compared to any previous record, excluding the poles. This is the thirteenth consecutive month of record setting.
This warming threatens marine life, increases atmospheric moisture and threatens the ability of the oceans – which play a critical role – to absorb anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions.
However, the sea surface temperature recorded a marginal decrease compared to March and its absolute record (21.04° Celsius, down from 21.07° Celsius).
El Niño is weakening
The natural climate phenomenon El Niño “continued to weaken” in April and the situation moved towards “neutral conditions”, the Copernicus observatory noted.
The phenomenon occurs in the equatorial zone of the Pacific Ocean and contributes to global warming.
El Niño “peaked at the beginning of the year,” explained Gillien Nicola, which probably explains the slight drop in average temperatures in April compared to March.
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“Model forecasts indicate a possible transition to (La Niña phenomenon) conditions in the second half of the year,” but “conditions are still quite uncertain,” the climatologist noted.
The La Niña effect is the reverse of El Niño – leading to a decrease in global temperatures – but the end of El Niño does not necessarily mean that temperatures will stop rising, that global warming will slow down.
“This phenomenon is in addition to long-term trends that are persistent and directly linked to global warming, the increase in concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and the amounts of heat absorbed and stored, especially in the oceans,” Nicolas pointed out.
