Last year was the warmest year on record in Europe, new data from the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has found.
According to the European State of the Climate report, central, eastern, and southeastern regions of Europe reported unprecedented temperatures, accompanied by severe storms and widespread flooding.
Across the continent last year, storms affected more than 400,000 people, resulting in the loss of at least 335 lives, it noted.
East and west
The year also saw a ‘striking’ contrast between east and west in terms of climate conditions, with dry, record-warm conditions in the east, and warm but wet conditions in the west.
In western Europe, 2024 was one of the ten wettest years in the region since 1950. Overall, some 30% of Europe’s river network surpassed the ‘high’ flood threshold, and 12% exceeded the ‘severe’ threshold, the most extensive level of flooding seen since 2013.
“This report highlights that Europe is the fastest-warming continent and is experiencing serious impacts from extreme weather and climate change. Every additional fraction of a degree of temperature rise matters because it accentuates the risks to our lives, to economies and to the planet,” commented WMO secretary general Celeste Saulo.
“Adaptation is a must. WMO and its partners are therefore intensifying efforts to strengthen early warning systems and climate services to help decision-makers and society at large to be more resilient. We are making progress but need to go further and need to go faster, and we need to go together.”
Month to month
Last July saw southeastern Europe record its longest heatwave to date, of 13 consecutive days, while in September, Storm Boris hit parts of central and eastern Europe, impacting countries like Germany, Poland, and Romania. October, meanwhile, saw heavy rain lead to extreme flooding in Spain’s Valencia region.
Wildfires impacted Portugal in September, burning through around 110,000 hectares in one week, representing around a third of Europe’s burn area.
Another concern was the rate of glacier mass loss last year, with Scandinavia and Svalbard seeing their highest-ever rates of ice loss, contributing to what was also the third warmest year in the Arctic.
“2024 was the warmest year on record for Europe,” added Carlo Buontempo, director of the Copernicus Climate Change Service at ECMWF. “But 2024 was also a year of marked climate contrasts between eastern and western Europe. The European State of the Climate is a treasure trove of quality information about our changing climate. Learning how to use climate data and information to inform our decisions should become a priority for all of us.”
The latest C3S report includes enhanced visual tools, including 130 infographics and an interactive map highlighting adaptation efforts. Read more here.
