NASA has confirmed one of the most infamous climate records since the measurements exist!

A worrying climate trend has emerged: for the past 12 months, every month has set a new global temperature record.
NASA recently confirmed that May 2024, after April, March, February and January, reached unprecedented average global temperatures. This streak, the longest on record, underscores the rapid warming of our planet.

The head of NASA, Bill Nelson emphasized the seriousness of the situation. It is clear that we are facing a climate crisis. Communities across America, such as Arizona, California, Nevada and communities around the world are feeling the extreme heat firsthand in unprecedented numbers, he said.

We have no reason to celebrate

Breaking such a record is by no means a cause for celebration. Last November, global average temperatures exceeded pre-industrial levels by more than 2°C for the first time, and the US experienced its warmest winter on record. Despite mounting evidence, greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise at an unprecedented rate, pushing us toward a dangerous climate abyss.

Nor is it an isolated trend. The past decade is the warmest since record-keeping began in the late 19th century. The previous warmest streak lasted seven months between 2015 and 2016.

We have more and more hot days, more hot months, more hot years. We know these temperature increases are caused by our greenhouse gas emissions and affect people and ecosystems around the world, says Kate Calvin, NASA’s chief scientist and senior climate advisor.
A strong El Niño weather pattern, which began in early 2023, likely contributed to the above record temperatures. As El Niño wanes, there may be a temporary reprieve from months of record-breaking heat.

There is a glimmer of hope

NASA’s data comes from tens of thousands of weather stations and instruments around the world, including land-based, ship-based and floating. These readings are carefully processed to account for spatial variation and factors such as urban heat islands.

Despite all of the above, there is still a glimmer of hope as our ability to monitor and predict climate change is improving. We provide critical climate data for better lives and livelihoods and for the benefit of all humanity, says Nelson. But the real challenge now is to take meaningful action based on that data.