2023 Warmest Year Till Now, Global Surface Temperatures May Set New Records This Winter Season

The climate change caused by global warming is already showing its effect on our planet, and it will only worsen in the coming years.

One of the most apparent signs that climate change is happening in front of our eyes is how global temperatures are rising.

BCCL

What new study says

According to a new study, there is a 95 per cent chance of global average surface temperatures setting new historical records during the 2023-24 winter.

The researchers at the Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China, also said that regions in the mid-low latitudes of Eurasia and most parts of the Americas were likely to experience a hot winter.

Why temperature may set new records this winter

They have attributed these likely outcomes to an imminent maturity of a moderate to strong Eastern Pacific El Nino during the upcoming northern hemisphere winter.

AFP

This strong El Nino event is poised to trigger anomalous anticyclone activity in the Northwest Pacific, thereby influencing the winter climates of East Asia and North America, the researchers said in their study published in the journal Advances in Atmospheric Sciences.

They have also predicted surface temperatures in China to be more than double the usual temperatures, potentially setting the highest winter temperature record since 1991.

The scientists said they wanted to address concerns about whether the world would witness the warmest winter in the year 2023, which has seen scorching heatwaves during the summer and autumn months.

AFP

These months were marked by extreme temperatures and a consistent global warming trend across oceans and landmasses, they said. For example, the researchers said the global average temperature from June to October 2023 surpassed the 1991-2020 average by 0.57 degrees Celsius.

They said the temperature soared even higher in August and September, exceeding historical averages by 0.62 and 0.69 degrees Celsius, respectively, and eclipsed the records set in 2016.

How 2023 became hottest year ever

Meanwhile, European Union scientists said on Wednesday that 2023 would be the warmest year on record, as global mean temperature for the first 11 months of the year hit the highest level on record, 1.46¡ãC (34.63¡ãF) above the 1850-1900 average.

BCCL

The temperature for the January-November period was 0.13¡ãC higher than the average for the same period in 2016, currently the warmest calendar year on record, the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) said.

November 2023 was the warmest November on record globally, with an average surface air temperature of 14.22¡ãC, 0.85¡ãC above the 1991-2020 average for November and 0.32¡ãC above the previous warmest November in 2020, Copernicus added.

How climate change has affected this winter season

Earlier this week, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) had said that most parts of the country will likely experience above-normal minimum temperatures in December.

BCCL

The IMD also said the occurrence of cold waves over the country's north, northwest, central, east and northeast parts during the upcoming winter (December to February 2024) will likely remain below normal.

For more on the news, sports, and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.