September sizzled to records and was so much warmer than average scientists call it ‘mind-blowing’

In September, Earth experienced an unprecedented surge in temperatures, surpassing previous records and prompting scientists to label it “mind-blowing.” Following a summer marked by extreme heat, September witnessed a new milestone in the extent to which temperatures exceeded the norm, as reported by the European climate agency.

Last month’s average temperature soared to 0.93 degrees Celsius (1.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above the 1991-2020 average for September. This remarkable deviation from the norm constitutes the highest departure from the average for any month in the 83-year dataset maintained by the European Space Agency’s Copernicus Climate Change Service.

Carlo Buontempo, Director of Copernicus, expressed his astonishment, stating, “It’s just mind-blowing really,” adding that such an occurrence had never been witnessed in their records.

While July and August are inherently warmer months, September exhibited what scientists refer to as the most significant anomaly or deviation from the norm. Temperature anomalies are crucial indicators in the context of a warming planet.

Imperial College of London climate scientist Friederike Otto emphasized the severity of the situation, noting, “This is not a fancy weather statistic; it’s a death sentence for people and ecosystems. It destroys assets, infrastructure, harvests.”

According to Copernicus, the average temperature for September reached 16.38 degrees Celsius (61.48 degrees Fahrenheit), surpassing the previous record set in September 2020 by an astonishing half-degree Celsius (0.9 degrees Fahrenheit). This represents a substantial margin in the realm of climate records.

The soaring temperatures were not confined to specific regions but were primarily driven by persistent and unusual warmth in the world’s oceans, which failed to cool down as expected in September and have been record-high since spring, Buontempo explained.

Earth is on course to experience its hottest year on record, with temperatures approximately 1.4 degrees Celsius (2.5 degrees Fahrenheit) higher than pre-industrial times, according to Samantha Burgess, Deputy Director of Copernicus.

Copernicus reported that this past September was 1.75 degrees Celsius (3.15 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer than the mid-1800s. In 2015, the global community agreed to limit future warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) compared to pre-industrial levels.

It’s important to note that the global goal of 1.5 degrees Celsius pertains to long-term temperature averages rather than individual months or years. Nevertheless, scientists expressed profound concern over the record-breaking trends.

U.S. climate scientist Jessica Moerman emphasized the compounding factors of rapid global warming and the temporary warming phenomenon known as El Nino, which affects weather patterns worldwide. She noted, “This double whammy together is where things get dangerous,” while acknowledging that climate change plays a more significant role in the ongoing warming.

Despite El Nino’s influence, Buontempo asserted that climate change is the predominant driver of this warmth. Friederike Otto raised concerns about the lack of respite for humans and nature, particularly in the face of ongoing oil and gas exploitation.

Buontempo also warned that El Nino is likely to exacerbate temperatures in the coming year, underscoring the urgent need for action to address these escalating climate challenges.

In the words of climate scientist Zeke Hausfather, this September’s temperature trends were nothing short of “absolutely gobsmackingly bananas.”

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More about Climate Records

• European Space Agency’s Copernicus Climate Change Service
• Imperial College of London
• Samantha Burgess, Deputy Director of Copernicus
• El Nino
• Climate Scientist Zeke Hausfather on Twitter