 |
| This map of Earth in 2024 shows global surface temperature anomalies, with normal temperatures in white, higher-than-normal in red and orange, and lower-than-normal in blue. An animated version, showing changes since 1880, is available for download from NASA Goddard’s Scientific Visualization Studio: https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/5450. |
NASA scientists have confirmed that Earth's average surface temperature in 2024 was the warmest ever recorded. The global temperatures surged by 2.30°F (1.28°C) above the 20th-century baseline (1951-1980), surpassing the previous record set in 2023. This record-breaking year follows an unprecedented streak of 15 consecutive months of temperature highs, from June 2023 through August 2024.
"Once again, the temperature record has been shattered — 2024 was the hottest year since record keeping began in 1880," said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. He emphasized the urgent need to understand the changing climate, especially as wildfires rage across California, threatening communities and workforce infrastructure.
NASA's analysis also found that global temperatures in 2024 were approximately 2.65°F (1.47°C) higher than the mid-19th century average (1850-1900), with more than half of the year exceeding the 1.5°C mark above pre-industrial levels. This marks a critical point, as the Paris Agreement aims to keep global warming below 1.5°C in the long term.
Gavin Schmidt, director of NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS), highlighted the rapid pace of warming, noting that Earth is now only halfway to Pliocene-level temperatures from three million years ago when sea levels were significantly higher. "We are halfway to Pliocene-level warmth in just 150 years," Schmidt said.
The continuing rise in temperatures is largely driven by human activities, particularly the emission of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane. The concentration of carbon dioxide has jumped from approximately 278 parts per million in pre-industrial times to over 420 parts per million today.
While natural climate variations, such as the El Niño phenomenon, have contributed to temperature increases, scientists stress that the overall warming trend is unequivocal. Schmidt added, "Not every year is going to break records, but the long-term trend is clear," referencing the increased frequency of extreme weather events like heatwaves and flooding.
NASA’s global temperature records are compiled using data from thousands of meteorological stations and sea surface temperature measurements. Recent research by NASA and other organizations, including NOAA and the Colorado School of Mines, has affirmed the accuracy of these data, highlighting a clear and accelerating trend of warming that is now being felt on local levels.
The findings were corroborated by independent analyses from NOAA, Berkeley Earth, the UK’s Hadley Centre, and Copernicus Climate Services in Europe, all confirming that 2024 marks the hottest year in the modern era.
As global temperatures continue to rise, the urgency of addressing climate change has never been clearer. NASA's full dataset and analysis details are publicly available from the Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS).
Comments