'Hottest February ever': February 2024 breaks global temperature records

February 2024 has secured its place as the warmest February globally, marking the ninth consecutive month of record-breaking temperatures, as indicated by scientists, The Guardian reported.

Data from the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service reveals that not only are global sea surface temperatures at an all-time high, but February surpassed the pre-industrial average for the month (1850-1900) by 1.77°C and exceeded the 1991-2020 levels by 0.81°C.

The average global temperature for the past 12 months, spanning from March 2023 to February 2024, reached a historic 1.56°C above pre-industrial levels, temporarily crossing the critical 1.5°C threshold associated with severe long-term climate change impacts.

Copernicus reported "exceptionally high" daily global average temperatures in the first half of February, peaking at 2°C above 1850-1900 levels on four days from 8 to 11 February. 

European temperatures for February 2024 were 3.3°C above the 1991-2020 average, with central and eastern Europe experiencing temperatures well above average. The December 2023 to February 2024 winter period stands as the second warmest on record for Europe.

Remarkably, average global sea surface temperatures for February, excluding the polar regions, reached an unprecedented 21.06°C, surpassing the previous record set in August 2023. 

Carlo Buontempo, the director of the Copernicus Climate Change Service, emphasised the continuous warming trend and stressed the imperative need to stabilise greenhouse gas concentrations to prevent further temperature extremes. 

Dr Friederike Otto from Imperial College London highlighted the urgency of transitioning away from fossil fuels to mitigate the intensification of extreme weather events linked to climate change.