August ties record as hottest month globally

A combination of ongoing global warming and an unprecedented El Niño event has lifted the planet’s average surface temperature to more than 1.5 °C above pre‑industrial levels, according to the latest assessments from climate monitoring agencies. The World Meteorological Organization reported that the 2023‑2024 El Niño has produced the strongest sea‑surface temperature anomalies on record, amplifying the baseline warming trend driven by greenhouse‑gas emissions. Satellite observations and surface stations worldwide show a consistent rise in temperature across all continents, with the most pronounced spikes occurring in the tropical Pacific and subtropical regions where the El Niño’s influence is strongest.

Climate models project that the added heat from the lingering El Niño will push global temperatures further beyond the 1.5 °C threshold in the coming months, even as atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations continue to climb. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warns that sustained temperatures above this level increase the likelihood of extreme weather events, accelerated ice melt, and sea‑level rise. Researchers emphasize that the current trajectory underscores the urgency of mitigation efforts to limit additional warming and reduce the long‑term impacts on ecosystems and human societies.