Climate Bulletins - October 2024

The Copernicus Climate Change Service's monthly climate bulletin is out now, including updates on October's temperatures, sea ice extent and precipitation. You can read the Climate Bulletin here.

Temperature highlights

The October temperature highlights from the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S).  

• October was the second-warmest October globally, after October 2023, 0.80°C above the 1991-2020 average for October.
• It was 1.65°C above the pre-industrial level globally
• Last month saw also the second-highest value on record for the average sea surface temperature (over 60°S–60°N) with 20.68°C, only 0.10°C below October 2023

What does that mean for 2024?

The year-to-date global-average temperature anomaly is 0.71°C above the 1991-2020 average. That is the highest on record for this period and 0.16°C warmer than the same period in 2023. It is virtually certain that 2024 is going to be the warmest year on record according to ERA5.

Read more here.

Sea Ice highlights

The October sea ice highlights from the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S).

• Antarctic sea ice extent was 8% below average, the second-lowest extent for October on record.
• Arctic sea ice extent was 19% below average, ranking 4th lowest for October on record.

Read more here. 

Hydrology highlights

The October hydrology highlights from the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S).

In Europe:

• October 2024 saw above-average precipitation across the Iberian Peninsula, France, northern Italy, Norway, northern Sweden, and east of the Black Sea. Heavy precipitation led to severe flash flooding in the region of Valencia, Spain, with over 200 fatalities.
• Precipitation and soil moisture were below average in the majority of eastern Europe, particularly in western Russia, Greece, and western Türkiye.

Beyond Europe:

• Wetter-than-average conditions were seen in southern and eastern China, Taiwan, Florida (United States), parts of western Australia, and southernmost Brazil. Hurricane Milton made landfall in Florida less than two weeks after Hurricane Helene.
• Drier-than-average conditions were seen across most of the United States, the central lowlands of Australia, much of southern Africa and Madagascar, and parts of Argentina and Chile.

 Read more here.