Last month was the second-warmest September globally, reinforcing 2024’s trajectory to become the hottest year on record, according to the EU climate monitor Copernicus.
The Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) reported that only September 2023 was warmer. Extreme rainfall and destructive storms marked September 2024, with climate change intensifying these events.
Warmer air holds more moisture, and warmer oceans lead to increased evaporation, which results in heavier rainfall.
Several major weather events occurred during the month, including Hurricane Helene in the southeast United States, Typhoon Krathon in Taiwan, and Storm Boris, which caused severe flooding in central Europe.
Samantha Burgess, Deputy Director of C3S, emphasised that rising global temperatures are contributing to more frequent and intense rainfall, with months’ worth of rain falling in just a few days in some areas.
Copernicus records, which date back to 1940, show that 2024 has already set temperature records from January to September. With these trends, it is “almost certain” that 2024 will be the warmest year ever recorded.
Additional evidence from ice cores, tree rings, and coral skeletons further supports the conclusion that climate change is leading to unprecedented global warming.
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