A widespread shortage of fans and air conditioners in shops, ice cream flying off the shelves, and empty displays where sunscreen should be in pharmacies—all are unmistakable signs that the summer of 2024 brought intense and, at times, unbearable heat.

While many welcomed the sunny days for beach outings, warm seas, and strolls in the sunshine, the underlying problem is far more serious. A series of record-breaking temperatures have alarmed meteorologists, who warn that even worse could be on the horizon.

Researchers from the Copernicus Climate Change Service closely monitored global temperatures throughout the summer, confirming that 2024 has set a troubling new record.

Europe's average temperature was 1.54°C higher than the 1991-2020 long-term average, surpassing the previous record set during the summer of 2022. The scientists also noted that August 2024 marked the 13th month in a 14-month period where the global average temperature exceeded 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels—a key threshold in climate discussions.

According to the researchers, the data strongly suggests 2024 will become the hottest year ever recorded globally.

Interestingly, while much of Europe experienced a rise in temperatures this summer, a few regions bucked the trend. The UK, northern Norway, the Republic of Ireland, Iceland, and western Portugal recorded lower temperatures than last year.

Deputy director of Copernicus Climate Change Service, Samantha Burgess, told the BBC: "Temperature-related extreme events witnessed this summer will only become more intense."

Several countries recorded their warmest summer ever. Austria, along with others, reported unprecedented heat. In Spain and Finland, meteorologists confirmed that August 2024 was the hottest month on record, while Switzerland experienced its second warmest month ever.

Source: BBC