“Extreme events will become even more intense, with even more devastating consequences”

The summer of 2024 was the warmest summer on record in the Northern Hemisphere, with an average temperature of 16.8 degrees, 0.69 degrees above the average for the years 1991 to 2020. According to the results of the EU climate programme Copernicus, the summer months from June to August thus exceeded the previous record summer of 2023which is 0.66 degrees above mean.

In Europe, average temperatures for summer 2024 will be 1.54 degrees above the average for the years 1991 to 2020, the highest since records began for this time of year. The previous record dates back to 2022 at 1.34 degrees above average.

Series of records

During the Summer 2024 in Western and Northern Europe mostly above average humid War, unusually dry conditions prevailed in much of the Mediterranean and Eastern Europe. Droughts occurred in some regions.

© dpa/Emilio Morenatti

The World’s hottest June and August, the hottest day since records began and the hottest summer in the Northern Hemisphere: This series of records increases the likelihood that the whole of 2024 will be the warmest year on record, explained Samantha Burgess, Deputy Director of Copernicus. So far, 2023 is considered the warmest year on record.

The temperature-related extreme events we have experienced this summer will only intensify, with even more devastating consequences for people and the planet, unless we take urgent action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Samantha BurgessDeputy Copernicus Director.

“The temperature-related Extreme events that we have experienced this summer will only become more intense“, with even more devastating consequences for people and the planet if we do not take urgent action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” warned Burgess.

Blueprint for the next few years

Experts consider the summer of 2024 to be a blueprint for the coming years, marked by extreme heat waves, droughts in the south, forest fires and local heavy rain events with high destructive powerThe developments are particularly alarming in the Mediterranean region.

On Sicily and Sardinia Due to extreme drought, the state of emergency was declared, devastating forest and field fires occurred. According to the World Weather Attribution (WWA), climate change increases the likelihood of such droughts by 50 percent.

In Europe, temperatures in southern and eastern Europe are above averagewhile they are below average in northwest Ireland, the United Kingdom, the island, the west coast of Portugal and southern Norway.

© IMAGO/greatif/IMAGO/Florian Gaul

Outside Europe, temperatures are also above East Arctic, Texas, Mexico, Canada, Northeast Africa, Iran, China, Japan and Australia above averageIn contrast, temperatures were below average in the Russian Far East and Alaska, the eastern United States, parts of southern South America, Pakistan and the Sahel region.

The average Sea surface temperature reached 20.91 degrees in August, the second highest value since records began for this month. The value was only 0.07 °C below the record value of August 2023.

Germany confirms the trend

In Germany, too, the summer of 2024 was significantly warmer than the long-term average. According to an initial evaluation of the results from around 2,000 measuring stations of the German Weather Service (DWD), The summer is warmer than average everywhere in Germany, especially in Berlin, Brandenburg and Saxony-AnhaltThe duration of sunshine was also above average in almost all regions, with Berlin and Brandenburg being the sunniest federal states.

The meteorological The summer of 2024 in Germany is among the top 10 with an average temperature of 18.5 degrees the warmest summer. Since records began, there have been four peak summers with an average temperature of 19 degrees and more, followed by several summers around 18.5 degrees.