Newsletter Issue 51 (January 2025)

The year’s weather – 2024

The WMO confirmed that 2024 was the warmest year on record. The global mean sea level continued to rise in 2024. Over the Antarctica and Arctic, sea-ice extent remained well below average during the year and the minimum sea-ice extents were respectively the second and seventh lowest in satellite records. In 2024, various extreme weather events affected many parts of the world, including heatwaves, severe drought, extreme rainfall that triggered severe flooding…

The weather of December 2024 – A dry December

With less moisture in the lower atmosphere over the coast of southern China, December 2024 was much drier than usual in Hong Kong. Only traces of rainfall were recorded in the month and it was one of eleven Decembers with just traces of rainfall since records began in 1884. The annual total rainfall of 2 309.7 millimetres was about 5 percent below the annual normal of 2 431.2 millimetres.

WMO confirms 2024 as warmest year on record at about 1.55°C above pre-industrial level

The WMO has confirmed that 2024 is the warmest year on record, based on six international datasets. The past ten years have all been in the Top Ten, in an extraordinary streak of record-breaking temperatures. The global average surface temperature was 1.55 °C (uncertainty ± 0.13 °C) above the 1850-1900 average, the first calendar year with a global mean temperature of more than 1.5°C above pre-industrial level.

NOAA – 2024 was the world’s warmest year on record

It’s official: 2024 was the planet’s warmest year on record, according to an analysis by scientists from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information. Regionally, Africa, Europe, North America, Oceania and South America (tied with 2023) had their warmest year on record. Asia and the Arctic had their second-warmest year on record. Along with historic heat, Antarctic sea ice coverage dropped to its second-lowest extent on record.

C3S global climate highlights 2024 report

The Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) released its annual Global Climate Highlights, containing key data about the climate during 2024: (1) The first year warmer than 1.5°C above the pre-industrial average; (2) Record number of days above 1.5°C in 2024; (3) Global temperature datasets in good agreement; (4) The relentless release of greenhouse gases continues; (5) Record amounts of water vapour, more warming and potential for extreme rainfall; (6) Was this record due to El Niño?; (7) The regions most exposed to very strong heat stress.

New Study on ERA5’s Socio-economic Benefits

The study’s findings from nearly 80 experts across nine targeted sectors underscore ERA5’s (the global climate reanalysis dataset produced by C3S at ECMWF) significant contributions to the environment, scientific research, policy making, innovation, and societal well-being, as well as widespread economic benefits. Notably, the financial gains for the offshore wind industry in Europe alone cover the production costs of ERA5 and nearly the entire programme, according to the report.

2024年氣候變化綠皮書發佈

中國社會科學院—中國氣象局氣候變化經濟學模擬聯合實驗室與社會科學文獻出版社在京聯合發佈第16部氣候變化綠皮書——《應對氣候變化報告（2024）：“雙碳”目標驅動新質生產力發展》。2024年氣候變化綠皮書聚焦“雙碳”目標驅動新質生產力發展，深入分析國際國內應對氣候變化面臨的新形勢，從不同側面展現我國以“雙碳”目標為引領，加快經濟社會發展全面綠色轉型，積極發展新質生產力。

2024年國內外十大天氣氣候事件揭曉

入選2024年我國十大天氣氣候事件的是：遼寧葫蘆島8月遭遇罕見特大暴雨；夏季南方遭遇史上第二強高溫過程，廣州經歷“最長夏天”；秋季颱風“紮堆”生成，“摩羯”刷新秋季登陸我國最強颱風紀錄；強對流天氣頻發，風雹災害點多面廣；2024年全國平均氣溫再創新高；2月強寒潮襲擊我國，嚴重影響春運出行；“暴力梅”侵襲長江中下游，洞庭湖堤防發生決口險情；“龍舟水”襲擊兩廣，打破多項降雨紀錄；10月“暴雨列車”襲擊海南，引發次生災害；汛期暴雨誘發多起山洪地質災害。

China’s Zhongshan National Atmospheric Background Station established in Antarctica to support global response to climate change

This year marks the 40th anniversary of China’s polar expedition. On the occasion of World Antarctica Day, on December 1, 2024, China’s Zhongshan National Atmospheric Background Station in Antarctica is in official operation. The Station is China’s first atmospheric background station established on the Antarctic continent and the ninth one to be in official operation.

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