Last month was the warmest June globally on record with average European temperatures 1.57 °C above the 1991-2020 average for June, reported the EU’s climate change monitoring service on Monday. The global average temperature in the last 12 months (July 2023 – June 2024) reached the highest on record at 0.76 °C above the 1991-2020 average and 1.64 °C above the 1850-1900 pre-industrial average.
Global temperatures above average
In its latest monthly bulletin, the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) revealed that European temperatures in June were mostly above average over southeast regions and Türkiye, but near or below average over western Europe, Iceland and northwestern Russia.
Outside Europe, temperatures in June were mostly above average over eastern Canada, the western U.S. and Mexico, Brazil, northern Siberia, the Middle East, northern Africa, and Western Antarctica. Meanwhile, temperatures were below average over the eastern equatorial Pacific, indicating a developing La Niña. However, air temperatures over the ocean remained at an unusually high level over many regions.
Sea surface temperatures on the rise
The EU’s C3S also revealed that the sea surface temperature (SST) averaged for June 2024 over 60°S-60°N was 20.85 °C, the highest value on record for the month. This is the 15th straight month that the SST has been the warmest on record in June.
The data also reveals that the Arctic sea ice extent was 3 percent below average. Meanwhile, the Antarctic sea ice extent was 12 percent below average, the second-lowest extent for June in the satellite data record. Sea ice concentrations were most below-average in the Ross-Amundsen Sea sector and east of the Weddell Sea.
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Precipitation levels mixed
In addition to a surge in global temperatures, June 2024 was wetter than average over Iceland, central and most of south-western Europe. Germany, Italy, France and Switzerland saw floods due to heavy precipitation.
However, June was drier than average over Ireland, most of the U.K., Fennoscandia, southern Italy, and much of Eastern Europe, particularly around the Black Sea.
Outside Europe, the EU’s C3S revealed that June was wetter than average over parts of North America, with a series of storms, including exceptional Hurricane Beryl. Moreover, the month was wetter than average over southwestern and south-eastern Asia, southernmost Africa, regions of Australia, and South America.
Meanwhile, drier-than-average conditions were seen across North America, several regions of Asia, and most of South America. Severe wildfires occurred in northeastern Russia and central South America.
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