In its latest report released on Wednesday, the European Union’s climate agency Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) revealed that April was recorded as the warmest month ever globally. Record-breaking heat, intense rainfall, and widespread flooding disrupted daily life across several nations, it stated. This disturbing trend continues a concerning pattern, with April marking the eleventh consecutive month of record-high temperatures. The agency attributed this phenomenon to a combination of a fading El Niño effect and the ongoing impact of human-induced climate change. Compared to the pre-industrial reference period of 1850-1900, the average global temperature for April soared to 15.03 degrees Celsius, marking a significant increase of 1.58 degrees Celsius.
It was 0.67 degrees Celsius above the 1991-2020 average for April and 0.14 degrees Celsius above the previous high set in April 2016. “El Nino peaked at the beginning of the year, and the sea surface temperatures in the eastern tropical Pacific are now going back towards neutral conditions. However, while temperature variations associated with natural cycles like El Nino come and go, the extra energy trapped in the ocean and the atmosphere by increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases will keep pushing the global temperature towards new records,” Carlo Buontempo, Director of C3S, said.
Surge in global temperature
According to the latest findings from the climate agency, the global average temperature over the past 12 months, spanning from May 2023 to April 2024, has reached unprecedented levels. The data reveals a temperature increase of 0.73 degrees Celsius above the 1991-2020 average and a staggering 1.61 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial average from 1850-1900. Notably, January marked a significant milestone as the global average temperature exceeded the 1.5 degrees Celsius threshold for an entire year for the first time. However, it’s crucial to understand that surpassing the 1.5 degrees Celsius limit outlined in the Paris Agreement signifies a long-term trend of warming over many years.
2024 to witness massive heat amid El Nino influence
Globally, 2023 was the warmest year in the 174-year observational record, with the global average temperature at 1.45 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial baseline (1850-1900). The warming may set a new record in 2024 as scientists say El Nino — periodic warming of the ocean surface in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean — typically has the greatest impact on global climate in the second year of its development. El Nino continued to weaken towards neutral conditions, but marine air temperatures in general remained at an unusually high level in April, C3S scientists said. The world is witnessing weather extremes under the combined effect of the 2023-24 El Nino and human-caused climate change.
Extreme weather grips Asia
A severe heatwave engulfed Asia, prompting the Philippines to temporarily close schools and shattering temperature records in India, coinciding with its ongoing 44-day general election. The scorching conditions extended to Indonesia, Malaysia, and Myanmar as well. Additionally, April witnessed unprecedented rainfall in the UAE, marking the heaviest downpour in 75 years. Furthermore, C3S scientists reported that April continued the trend of record-high ocean temperatures for the thirteenth consecutive month. Looking ahead, global weather agencies, including the India Meteorological Department (IMD), anticipate the onset of La Niña conditions by August-September. While El Niño conditions typically result in weaker monsoon winds and drier weather in India, the emergence of La Niña, the opposite of El Niño, is expected to bring abundant rainfall during the monsoon season.
What is El Nino?
It should be noted here that El Nino occurs every two to seven years on average and typically lasts nine to 12 months. The current El Nino event, which developed in June 2023, was at its strongest between November and January. It is associated with increased rainfall in the Horn of Africa and the southern US, and unusually dry and warm conditions in Southeast Asia, Australia, and southern Africa.
(With inputs from PTI)
ALSO READ: IMD report: Record high April minimum temperature in east and northeast India since 1901