January 2025 Records Warmest Temperature Ever Despite La Nina…

January 2025 was noted as the warmest January on record, with an average temperature of 13.23 degrees Celsius, marking a concerning continuation of global warming trends despite La Nina’s cooling effects. This month followed 2024, the hottest year to date, with lasting impacts on global temperatures that remain significantly above pre-industrial levels. Scientists express alarm over the persistent abnormal warmth experienced across the planet.

In January 2025, the world recorded its warmest January ever, notwithstanding the influence of La Nina, a climate phenomenon typically associated with cooler global temperatures. The Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) reported that the average temperature reached 13.23 degrees Celsius, surpassing the previous record set in January 2024 by 0.09 degrees Celsius and exceeding the 1991-2020 average by 0.79 degrees Celsius. This indicates a concerning trend where global temperatures have consistently stayed above the crucial 1.5-degree mark above pre-industrial levels for 18 of the last 19 months.

This notable temperature rise follows 2024, which was declared the warmest year on record, marking the first instance of average global temperatures crossing the 1.5-degree threshold relative to pre-industrial averages. Notably, the last 12-month period up to January 2025 showed a 1.61-degree increase in temperatures compared to pre-industrial levels. While La Nina typically contributes to a cooler climate, its presence in the tropical Pacific was evidently outweighed by other warming factors this January.

Samantha Burgess, the Deputy Director of C3S, remarked on the unexpected record temperatures that persisted despite the onset of La Nina conditions, which are characterized by cooler surface waters in the central Pacific Ocean. This phenomenon influences global climate patterns by intensifying monsoons in India while causing droughts in parts of Africa and South America. The research indicates that ocean temperatures remain unusually warm, with January’s average sea surface temperature at 20.78 degrees Celsius, marking it the second warmest January recorded.

The Copernicus report also highlighted alarming data regarding Arctic conditions; sea ice reached its lowest extent for January, falling 6% below average and nearing the record low set in January 2018. Additionally, the World Meteorological Organization has confirmed that 2024 was the warmest year on record, with global temperatures averaging 1.55 degrees Celsius above the baseline from 1850-1900, the era preceding significant human-caused climate impacts. However, it is crucial to specify that a lasting breach of the 1.5-degree limit established by the Paris Agreement denotes an extended warming trend over 20 to 30 years.

The warming temperatures experienced globally continue to raise alarms among climate scientists and policymakers. La Nina, which usually serves as a counterbalance to global warming by cooling ocean temperatures, appears to have minimized impacts this January, leading to unprecedented warmth on record. This discourse is part of a broader conversation about climate change’s implications, particularly concerning how human activities have dramatically altered natural climate patterns in recent years.

In summary, January 2025 marks a significant milestone as the warmest January recorded, despite the presence of La Nina, underscoring the irrefutable impact of climate change. As temperatures continue to rise, it is critical to recognize the role of human activities in this escalating scenario and the urgent need for strategic actions to mitigate impending climate threats. With global temperatures consistently exceeding critical thresholds, the implications for ecosystems and human societies remain profound and must be urgently addressed.

Original Source: www.newsdrum.in