Official climate data from Guangzhou Meteorological Bureau

China's 2024 Temperature Hits 10.92°C, Up 1.03°C, Amid Global Warming Surge

Jan 2, 2025, 05:59 AM

China experienced its warmest year on record in 2024, with an average national temperature of 10.92 degrees Celsius, marking a 1.03-degree increase over the previous year. This record-breaking heat, the highest since comprehensive meteorological records began in 1961, underscores a trend where the four warmest years have all occurred in the last four years, and all top ten warmest years since 1961 have been in the 21st century. The China Meteorological Administration highlighted that this surge in temperatures is part of a broader global pattern, as the United Nations has indicated that 2024 was set to be the warmest year ever recorded worldwide. In China, the extreme weather conditions led to severe impacts, including dozens of deaths due to flooding and the collapse of a highway in southern China in May, which killed 48 people. The city of Guangzhou experienced a record-breaking long summer, with 240 days above 22 degrees Celsius, surpassing the previous record set in 1994. Additionally, Shanghai recorded its warmest year since records began in 1873, with an average temperature of 18.8°C. A total of 19 provincial-level regions logged record-high temperatures, and the country saw an average precipitation of 697.7 mm, which was 1.01°C above the annual average. These conditions reflect the broader effects of global warming, which not only raises temperatures but also intensifies weather events, causing significant economic and human losses globally.