April was also the 11th-consecutive month of record-breaking global warmth
People relax at the Holzmarkt complex on the bank of the Spree River during unseasonably warm weather on April 07, 2024, in Berlin, Germany. Temperatures broke record highs over the weekend in some parts of the country. Overall, April 2024 was Europe's second-warmest April on record. (Image credit: Getty Images)
Last month continued our planet’s feverish pace to the year, with April 2024 ranking as the warmest April on record.
April was also the 11th month in a row of record-warmth for the world, according to scientists and data from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information.
Climate by the numbers
April 2024
The average global temperature in April was 2.38 degrees F (1.32 degrees C) above the 20th-century average of 56.7 degrees F (13.7 degrees C), making it the warmest April in the global climate record. April 2024 also marked the 11th-consecutive month of record-high global temperatures.
Regionally, South America had its warmest April on record, and Europe had its second warmest. Meanwhile, much of Australia, Scandinavia and northwest Russia were cooler than average.
Year to date (YTD) | January through April 2024
The YTD global temperature ranked as the warmest such period on record at 2.41 degrees F (1.34 degrees C) above the 20th-century average.
According to NCEI’s Global Annual Temperature Rankings Outlook, there is a 61% chance that 2024 will rank as the warmest year on record and a 100% chance that it will rank in the top five of warmest years recorded.
Other notable climate events in the report
- Earth’s sea ice coverage was low at both poles: Globally, April 2024 saw the 10th-smallest April sea ice extent (coverage) in the 46-year record. Arctic sea ice extent was 80,000 square miles below average, while Antarctic sea ice came in at 290,000 square miles below average.
- Activity in the tropics was below average: Two named storms formed in April, which was below the 1991–2020 average of four. The sole major storm was Severe Tropical Cyclone Olga, which brought high surf conditions to northwestern Australia. The only other storm during the month was Tropical Cyclone Paul that remained off the coast of northeastern Australia.
More > Access NOAA’s global April climate report, and download the images.
