WORLD EXPERIENCED HOTTEST APRIL ON RECORD DESPITE WEAKENED EL NINO

Wed 08 May 2024:

Global April Temperatures Soar to Unprecedented Levels, Marking 11-Month Streak, Reports EU Climate Monitoring Service

According to the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), April 2024 emerged as the hottest April on record, extending an unbroken streak of 11 months of remarkably high temperatures worldwide.

Since June 2023, each month has consistently ranked as the warmest globally when compared to the corresponding month in previous years, the C3S revealed on Wednesday.

Despite a weakened El Niño – the weather pattern known for warming the Pacific Ocean and elevating global temperatures – researchers attribute the exceptionally warm conditions to human-induced climate change.

April’s temperatures surpassed historical averages by 1.58 degrees Celsius (2.84 degrees Fahrenheit) compared to estimates for the same month in the pre-industrial period of 1850-1900, as noted by C3S.

While there are temperature variations associated with natural cycles such as El Nino, “the extra energy trapped into the ocean and the atmosphere by increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases will keep pushing the global temperature towards new records”, said C3S director Carlo Buontempo.

Over the past 12 months, average temperatures have exceeded the critical 1.5°C (2.7°F) warming threshold outlined in the 2015 Paris climate agreement. This threshold, calculated over decades, remains attainable.

In 2015, nearly 200 nations committed to transitioning away from fossil fuels toward renewable energy by the latter half of the century. However, the United Nations warned last year that the world is not on track to meet the agreement’s long-term objectives, including limiting global warming to 1.5°C.

Global Weather Extremes

April saw varied weather extremes across the globe, with Eastern Europe and much of Africa experiencing heightened temperatures, leading to record heatwaves. Reports indicated school closures in South Sudan due to scorching temperatures, while countries like Slovakia recorded their highest springtime daytime temperatures above 30°C (86°F).

Diverging weather patterns manifested in floods and droughts worldwide. South and Southeast Asia endured blistering heatwaves, while regions such as southern Brazil, the United Arab Emirates, and East African nations like Kenya and Tanzania grappled with deadly flooding incidents.

Pakistan witnessed double the usual monthly rainfall, marking its wettest month in over six decades.

Europe experienced above-average precipitation in many areas, although southern Spain, Italy, and the Western Balkans saw drier conditions than usual, according to C3S.

In eastern Australia, heavy rains occurred, while northern Mexico and most parts of Australia faced drier conditions.

Additionally, average sea surface temperatures remained exceptionally high, setting records for the 13th consecutive month in April, despite the El Niño weakening, posing threats to marine life and exacerbating atmospheric warming by reducing the oceans’ capacity to absorb greenhouse gas emissions.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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