New Delhi: The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) announced on Wednesday that 2024 was the warmest year on record in India since 1901, with the annual mean temperature reaching 25.75°C, 0.65°C above the long-period average.
The average minimum temperature rose to 20.24°C, 0.90°C above normal, marking the highest recorded in over a century. The average maximum temperature stood at 31.25°C, 0.20°C above normal, IMD director general Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said.
The year surpassed 2016's record mean land surface air temperature of 0.54°C above normal, becoming the warmest year since 1901. Notably, minimum temperatures for July, August, September, and October were the highest on record, with February recording the second-highest.
Globally, 2024 is expected to be the warmest year on record, according to the European climate agency Copernicus, with temperatures 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. Climate scientists from World Weather Attribution and Climate Central noted 41 additional days of dangerous heat globally in 2024.
IMD highlighted a significant rise in minimum temperatures, particularly in post-monsoon and winter seasons, indicating a long-term warming trend across most parts of the country.
La Niña conditions, expected in January, are unlikely to impact the warming trend significantly, an IMD scientist added.
Globally, June 2024 marked the first instance of monthly global temperatures crossing the 1.5°C threshold, except for July. Experts warn that the world is approaching sustained temperature increases beyond this limit, driven by rising greenhouse gas concentrations. Global temperatures have already risen by 1.3°C compared to pre-industrial levels.
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