Record Warmth: January 2025 Surpasses All Previous Temperature Records Despite La Nina Effect

January 2025 was recorded as the warmest January in history, despite La Nina’s typical cooling influence. Global average temperatures have remained above 1.5 degrees Celsius for most months since mid-2022. Reports indicate that sea surface temperatures are also surpassing averages, contributing to record warmth and alarming trends in climate change.

According to the European climate agency, January 2025 was recorded as the warmest January ever, despite the presence of La Nina, a climatic pattern associated with cooler temperatures. Last year, 2024 had already been marked as the hottest year in records, with global average temperatures surpassing pre-industrial levels by 1.5 degrees Celsius. Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) reported that January exhibited an average temperature of 13.23 degrees Celsius, surpassing the previous record set in January 2024 by 0.09 degrees, and exceeding the 1991-2020 average by 0.79 degrees.

The temperature readings indicate that January was 1.75 degrees Celsius higher than pre-industrial levels. It is noteworthy that global temperatures have consistently remained above the critical threshold of 1.5 degrees Celsius for 18 out of the last 19 months. Samantha Burgess, Deputy Director of C3S, remarked on the unexpected nature of January 2025’s temperatures, especially amidst La Nina’s cooling influence.

La Nina typically cools global temperatures by lowering surface water temperatures in the central Pacific, affecting weather patterns worldwide. This phenomenon often leads to intensified monsoonal conditions in India, while causing droughts in certain regions of Africa and South America, in contrast to El Nino, which raises global temperatures. C3S also indicated that the year-long period from February 2024 to January 2025 averaged 1.61 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

Sea surface temperatures (SSTs) globally remained notably elevated, with an average SST of 20.78 degrees Celsius in January, marking the second warmest January recorded. While La Nina conditions were observable, eastern Pacific temperatures stayed above normal, hinting at a possible slowdown in the progression of La Nina. In the Arctic, sea ice extent fell to its lowest for January, by 6 percent below average, closely approaching January 2018’s record low as reported by Copernicus.

The World Meteorological Organisation had declared the year 2024 as the hottest on record, with an average global temperature of 1.55 degrees Celsius higher than the 1850-1900 baseline period when human-induced climate change began to escalate. However, the sustained breach of the 1.5-degree Celsius threshold outlined in the Paris Agreement pertains to long-term trends over decades rather than short-term fluctuations.

Climate change continues to be a pressing global concern, with various indicators pointing towards rising temperatures and extreme weather patterns. La Nina and El Nino are significant climatic patterns that influence global weather and temperature, with La Nina often associated with cooler global temperatures. The reports from organizations such as the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) provide vital insights into how these patterns interact with overall climate change trends, particularly as the planet experiences unprecedented warming.

In conclusion, January 2025 marked a significant climate milestone as the warmest January on record, even in the context of La Nina’s expected cooling effects. The continuous rise in global temperatures emphasizes the urgent predicament of climate change, with sustained temperatures above critical thresholds. It is essential to continuously monitor these indicators to better understand the intricate dynamics of climate patterns and their long-term implications for global temperatures.

Original Source: www.newsdrum.in