Earth had hottest three-month period on record: UN

Geneva – Earth simply had its hottest three months on document, based on the European Union-funded Copernicus Local weather Change Service (C3S) applied by ECMWF.

International sea floor temperatures are at unprecedented highs for the third consecutive month and Antarctic sea ice extent stays at a document low for the time of 12 months.

It was the most well liked August on document – by a big margin – and the second hottest ever month after July 2023, based on the Copernicus Local weather Change Service ERA 5 dataset. August as a complete is estimated to have been round 1.5°C hotter than the preindustrial common for 1850-1900, based on C3S.

The 12 months up to now (January to August) is the second warmest on document behind 2016, when there was a robust warming El Niño occasion.

August as a complete noticed the best international month-to-month common sea floor temperatures on document throughout all months, at 20.98°C. Temperatures exceeded the earlier document (March 2016) each single day in August.

Antarctic sea ice extent remained at a document low degree for the time of 12 months, with a month-to-month worth 12% beneath common, by far the biggest unfavorable anomaly for August since satellite tv for pc observations started within the late Seventies. Arctic sea ice extent was 10% beneath common, however properly above the document minimal of August 2012.

WMO consolidates information from C3S and 5 different worldwide datasets for its local weather monitoring actions and its State of the Local weather experiences.

A report in Might from WMO and the UK’s Met Workplace predicted that there’s a 98% chance that no less than one of many subsequent 5 years would be the warmest on document and a 66% likelihood of briefly exceeding 1.5°C above the 1850-1900 common for no less than one of many 5 years. This doesn’t imply that we are going to completely exceed the 1.5°C degree specified within the Paris Settlement which refers to long-term warming over a few years.

Our planet has simply endured a season of simmering — the most well liked summer season on document. Local weather breakdown has begun. Scientists have lengthy warned what our fossil gas dependancy will unleash. Surging temperatures demand a surge in motion. Leaders should flip up the warmth now for local weather options. We are able to nonetheless keep away from the worst of local weather chaos – and we don’t have a second to lose, “ mentioned UN Secretary-Basic António Guterres.

“The northern hemisphere simply had a summer season of extremes – with repeated heatwaves fuelling devastating wildfires, harming well being, disrupting each day lives, and wreaking a long-lasting toll on the atmosphere. Within the southern hemisphere, the Antarctic sea ice extent was actually off the charts, and the worldwide sea floor temperature was as soon as once more at a brand new document. It’s value noting that that is occurring BEFORE we see the complete warming affect of the El Niño occasion, which generally performs out within the second 12 months after it develops” says World Meteorological Group Secretary-Basic Prof. Petteri Taalas.

“Eight months into 2023, up to now we’re experiencing the second warmest 12 months thus far, solely fractionally cooler than 2016, and August was estimated to be round 1.5°C hotter than pre-industrial ranges. What we’re observing, not solely new extremes however the persistence of those record-breaking circumstances, and the impacts these have on each individuals and planet, are a transparent consequence of the warming of the local weather system,” feedback Carlo Buontempo, Director of the Copernicus Local weather Change Service, ECMWF.