The month of April 2024 had an average surface air temperature of 15.03°C.
This is at least 0.67°C above the 1991-2020 average for April.
This is according to data collected by the Copernicus Climate Change Service implemented by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts on behalf of the European Commission.
April this year was also 1.58°C warmer than an estimate of the April average for 1850-1900.
Alvaro Silva, World Meteorological Organization (WMO) expert, said the high number of extreme weather and climate events, including daily and monthly temperature and rainfall amounts, most likely occurred in relatively warmer countries of the world.
“The sea surface temperature in several ocean basins, including in the tropical belt, continues to be record high, releasing more heat and moisture to the atmosphere and thus exacerbating conditions” said Silva.
The El Niño, which occurred in 2015/2016, is said to have influenced the duration of recorded temperatures, according to data from the Copernicus Climate Change Service and the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
This includes a drought in Southern Africa and extreme rainfall in the Arabian peninsula, heavy rainfall in East Africa, Southern Brazil and Afghanistan in May.
South America had its warmest April on record, whilst Europe had its second warmest, according to NOAA.
Picture: World Atlas