Winter is a difficult time for folks who don’t understand the difference between climate and weather. How could global warming be a real thing when it’s cold right now?
But data show that Earth just keeps getting hotter. Last year was not only the hottest year on record, it was also the first time the Earth’s average temperature passed the 1.5-degree Celsius increase since the late 1800s that many climates scientist have indicated is the threshold for irreversible global warming. The increase was actually 1.6 degrees Celsius, or 2.89 degrees Fahrenheit over the global average temperature between 1850 and 1900. These numbers are according to the European Commission’s Copernicus Climate Service.
The Earth also experienced its two hottest days on record in 2024 – July 22 and 23 both averaged about 62.9 degrees Fahrenheit, according to CNN.
An article by the Associated Press includes a bar chart of the Earth’s average temperature over the last 40 years.
Scientists believe there were several reasons for the extreme heat in 2024, including an El Nino pattern, an underwater volcano eruption, and a mysterious reduction in heat-reflecting clouds over the ocean. But of course the No. 1 reason for the increased heat is greenhouse gases continuing to accumulate in the atmosphere at much higher concentrations.
Greg Zimmerman is senior contributing editor for FacilitiesNet.com and Building Operating Management magazine.
